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i  THEOLOGICAL  SESimiRY.  I 


fl     Princeton,  N.  J.  (| 


Case^     Dfvision, 
>*<^'^V.     Sect;.-- 


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v^    A 


CHRIST 
KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR 


SINNERS'  HEARTS; 


A  SOLEMN  ENTREATY  TO  EECEIVE  THE  SAVIOUR  AND  HIS  GOSPEL 


THIS  THE   DAY  OF  MERCY. 


BY  EEV.    JOHN  FLAVEL. 
1689. 


KEVISKD    KDITtON. 


PUBLISHED   BY   THE 
AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE 


The  following  is  a  revised  edition  of  an  admirable  treatise 
by  the  author  of  '•  The  Fountain  of  Life"  and  ^-'The  Method  of 
Grace." 

It  appeared  originally  under  the  title  of  "England's  Duty-" 
and  consisted  of  twelve  sermons,  preached,  under  the  rich  eifu- 
sions  of  the  Spirit,  to  the  author's  congregation,  in  the  years 
1688-9,  about  two  yeare  before  his  death,  on  the  restoration  of 
religious  freedom,  through  the  revolution  that  virtually  amiulled 
the  Act  of  Uniformity,  by  which  the  author  for  twenty-five  years 
had  been  restrained  from  the  free  and  public  exercise  of  his 
ministry. 

In  this  edition  the  treatise  has  been  arranged  in  the  form  of 
chapters,  and  while  considerable  liberty  has  been  taken  with  the 
language,  in  changing  obscure  phraseology,  substituting  modern 
for  obsolete  words,  and  omitting  repetitious-  passages,  the  spirit 
of  the  writer  and  his  views  of  Christian  doctrliie  have  been  care- 
fully preserved,  and  every  scriptural  quotation  has  been  verified. 
A  new  title  has  likewise  been  adopted,  more  significant  of  the 
subject-matter  of  the  work.  It  is  believed,  that  in  its  present 
form,  it  will  be  esteemed  a  worthy  companion  to  those  already 
named,  and,  under  the  divine  blessing,  add  greatly  to  the  useful- 
ness of  the  estimable  author. 


FROM  THE 

AUTHOR'S  EPISTLE  TO  THE  READER 


Candid  Reader — The  following  discourse  comes  to  thy  hand 
in  the  native  plainness  in  which  it  was  preached,  I  was  con- 
scientiously unwilling  to  alter  it,  because  I  found  by  experi- 
ence the  Lord  had  blessed  and  prospered  it  in  that  dress,  far 
beyond  any  other  composures  on  which  I  had  bestowed  more 
pains.  Let  it  not  be  censured  as  vanity  or  ostentation,  that  I 
here  acknowledge  the  goodness  of  God  in  leading  me  to,  and 
blessing  my  poor  labors  on  this  subject.  Who  and  what  am  I, 
that  I  should  be  continued  and  again  employed  in  the  Lord's 
harvest,  and  that  with  success  and  encouragement,  when  so 
many  of  my  brethren,  with  much  richer  gifts  and  graces,  have 
in  my  time  been  called  out  of  the  vineyard,  and  are  now  silent 
in  the  grave.  It  is  true,  they  enjoy  what  I  do  not;  and  it  is  as 
true,  I  am  capable  of  doing  some  service  for  God  which  they 
are  not.  In  preaching  these  sermons,  I  had  many  occasions  to 
reflect  upon  the  sense  of  that  scripture,  "  The  ploughman  shall 
overtake  the  reaper,  and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth 
seed."  Amos  9:13.  Sowing  and  reaping  times  trod  so  close 
upon  each  other,  that,  in  all  humility  I  speak  it  to  the  praise  of 
God,  it  was  the  busiest  and  most  blessed  time  I  ever  saw  since  I 
first  preached  the  gospel. 

We  have  now  a  day  of  special  mercy :  there  is  a  wide  door 
of  religious  opportunity  opened  to  us.  0  that  it  may  prove  an 
effectual  door.  It  is  wonderful,  that  after  all  our  sinful  provoca- 
tions this  sweet  voice  is  still  heard,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock."  Our  mercies  and  liberties  are  obtained  for  us  by 
our  potent  Advocate  in  the  heavens  :  if  we  bring  forth  fruit,  well ; 
if  not,  the  axe  lieth  at  the  root  of  the  tree.  Let  us  not  feel 
secure.     Jerusalem  was  the  city  of  the  great  King;  the  seat  of 


6  EPISTLE   TO   THE  READER. 

his  worship  and  the  symbols  of  his  presence  were  fixed  there ;  it 
was  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth,  the  house  of  prayer  for  all  na- 
tions ;  thither  the  tribes  went  up  to  worship,  the  tribes  of  the 
Lord  unto  the  testimony  of  Israel.  For  there  were  set  thrones 
of  judgment,  the  thrones  of  the  house  of  David.  Psa.  122  :  4,  5. 
These  privileges  she  enjoyed  through  the  succession  of  many 
ages,  and  she  had  remained  the  glory  of  all  nations  to  this  day, 
had  she  known  and  improved  in  that  day  the  things  that  belong- 
ed to  her  peace;  but  her  people  neglected  their  season,  rejected 
their  mercies,  and  miserably  perished  in  their  sins  :  for  there  ever 
was  and  will  be  found  to  be  an  inseparable  connection  between 
the  final  rejection  of  Christ,  and  the  destruction  of  the  rejecters. 
Matt.  22 : 5-7,  the  contemplation  of  which  drew  compassionate 
tears  from  the  Redeemer's  eyes,  when  he  beheld  it  in  his  descent 
from  the  mount  of  Olives.     Luke  19  :  41,  42. 

As  to  this  treatise,  thou  wilt  find  it  a  persuasive  to  open  thy 
heart  to  Christ.  Thy  soul,  reader,  is  a  magnificent  structure 
built  by  Christ :  such  stately  rooms  as  thy  understanding,  will, 
conscience,  and  affections,  are  too  good  for  any  other  to  inliabit. 
If  thou  art  in  thy  unregenerate  state,  he  solemnly  demands  in 
this  treatise  admission  into  the  soul  he  made,  by  the  consent  of 
the  will ;  which,  if  thou  refuse  to  give  him,  then  witness  is  taken 
that  Christ  once  more  demanded  entrance  into  thy  soul,  which 
he  made,  and  was  denied  it.  If  thou  hast  opened  thy  heart  to 
him,"  thou  wilt,  I  hope,  meet  somewhat  in  this  treatise  that  ^^'ill 
clear  thy  evidences  and  cheer  thy  heart.  Pray,  read,  ponder, 
and  apply.     I  am 

Thine  and  the  church's  servant, 

JOHN  FLAVEL. 


CONTENTS. 


From  the  Author's  Epistle  to  the  Reader, 5 

CHAPTER   I. 

THE   OFPERS  OF  MERCY  RECORDED  AND  WITNESSED 
FOR  THE   JUDGMENT-DAY. 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open 
the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me." 
Rev.  3  :  20 9 

CHAPTER   II. 

THE   PRESENCE   OF   CHRIST  IN  HIS   ORDINANCES. 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock," 27 

CHAPTER   III. 

THE   HEART   BARRED  AGAINST   CHRIST. 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock," 43 

CHAPTER   IV. 

CHRIST'S  PATIENCE   IN  WAITING  UPON  OBSTINATE 

SINNERS. 

"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock, 73 

CHAPTER   V. 

EVERY  CONVICTION  OF   CONSCIENCE  AND   MOTION  OF 

THE    SPIRIT  A  KNOCK  FROM  CHRIST. 

"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock, 107 

CHAPTER    VI. 

CHRIST'S  EARNEST  ENTREATY  FOR  UNION  AND   COM- 
MUNION WITH  SINNERS. 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,'' 141 

CHAPTER  VII. 

CHRIST  REJECTS  NONE   WHO   OPEN  TO  HIM. 
^^  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,"  181 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

NONE   RECEIVE   CHRIST  UNTIL  HIS   SPIRITUAL  QUICK- 
ENING VOICE   IS  HEARD. 
"  If  any  man  hear  my  voice^  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,"  -  216 

CHAPTER   IX. 

THE   OPENING  OF  THE   HEART   TO  CHRIST   BY  FAITH 

THE   GREAT  DESIGN  OF  THE   GOSPEL. 

"  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  doo)\  I  wiU  come  in  to  him,"    248 

CHAPTER   X. 

CHRIST  BRINGS   GREAT  BLESSINGS    TO  THE   SOUL  THAT 

OPENS   TO  HIM, 
"If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and 
will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me,'''' 271 

CHAPTER   XI. 

COMMUNION  BETWEEN  CHRIST  AND  BELIEVERS  ON 

EARTH. 

"  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me^''  ■  •  •  304 

CHAPTER  XII. 

COMMUNION  BETWEEN   CHRIST  AND   BELIEVERS  ON 

EARTH  — CONTINUED 

"  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me." 324 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE   TRUTH  HELD   IN  UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 
"  The  wrath  of  G-od  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness of  men,  who  hold   the  truth  in  unrighteousness."     Rom. 
1:18, 349 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

THE   TRUTH  HELD  IN  UNRIGHTEOUSNE  SS  — contintted. 
"  The  wrath  of  G-od  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness of  men,  who   hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."     Rom. 
1:18, 376 


CHRIST     -^^.rm^^^^ 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE    OFFERS   OF  MERCY    RECORDED    AND    WIT- 
NESSED   FOR  THE    JUDGMENT-DAY. 

''BEHOLD,  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  AND  KNOCK:  IF  ANY  MAN 
HEAR  MY  VOICE,  AND  OPEN  THE  DOOR,  I  WILL  COINIE  IN  TO  HIM, 
AND  WILL  SUP  WITH  HIM,  AND  HE  ■V\aTH  ME."     Rev.  3  :  20. 

This  day  hath  our  compassionate  Redeemer  opened  unto 
us  a  door  of  Hberty — hberty  to  us  to  preach,  and  Hberty  for 
you  to  hear  the  glad  tidmgs  of  the  gospel.  This  is  a  day 
few  looked  for ;  how  often  have  I  said  in  the  years  that  are 
past,  God  hath  no  more  work  for  me  to  do,  and  I  shall  have 
no  more  strength  and  opportunities  to  work  for  God.  And 
how  often  have  yon  said  in  your  hearts,  we  have  sinned  our 
ministers  out  of  their  pulpits,  and  our  eyes  shall  no  more 
behold  these  our  teachers.  But  lo,  beyond  the  thoughts  of 
most  hearts,  a  wide  and,  I  hope,  an  effectual  door  is  now 
opened  in  the  midst  of  us.  0  that  it  may  be  to  us  as  the 
v^alley  of  Achor  was  to  Israel,  "for  a  door  of  hope,"  Hosea 
2:15;  not  only  making  the  troubles  they  met  with  in  that 
valley  an  inlet  to  their  mercies,  as  ours  have  been  to  us,  but 
giving  them  that  valley  as  a  pledge  of  greater  mercies  intend- 
ed for  them.  Upon  the  first  appearance  of  this  mercy,  my 
thoughts  were  how  to  make  the  most  fruitful  improvement 
of  it  among  you,  lest  we  should  sin  oui'selves  back  again  into 
bondage. 

1* 


10  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOR. 

In  the  contemplation  of  this  matter,  the  Lord  directed 
me  to  this  scripture,  wherein  the  same  hand  that  opened  to 
you  the  door  of  Hberty,  knocks  importunately  at  the  doors  of 
your  hearts  for  entrance  into  them,  and  for  union  and  com- 
munion with  them.  It  will  be  sad  indeed  if  he  who  hath 
let  you  into  all  these  mercies,  should  himself  he  shut  out  of 
your  hearts ;  hut  if  the  Lord  help  you  to  open  your  hearts 
now  to  Christ,  I  doubt  not  this  door  of  liberty  will  be  kept 
open  to  you,  how  many  soever  the  adversaries  be  that  will 
do  their  utmost  to  shut  it  up.  Ezek.  39  :  29.  The  mercies 
you  enjoy  this  day  are  the  fruits  of  Christ's  intercession  with 
the  Father  for  one  trial  more :  if  we  bring  forth  fruit,  well ; 
if  not,  the  axe  lieth  at  the  root  of  the  tree.  Under  this  con- 
sideration I  desire  to  speak,  and  even  so  the  Lord  help  you 
to  hear  what  shall  be  spoken  from  this  precious  scripture, 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  icnock  :  if  any  man 

HEAR  MY  VOICE  AND  OPEN  THE  DOOR,  I  ^\^LL  COME  IN  TO  HIM, 
AND  WILL  SUP  WITH  HIM,  AND  HE  WITH  ME." 

These  words  are  a  branch  of  that  excellent  epistle  dicta- 
ted by  Christ,  and  sent  by  his  servant  John  to  the  church  of 
Laodicea,  the  most  formal  and  degenerate  of  all  the  seven 
churches;  yet  the  great  Physician  will  try  his  skill  upon 
them,  both  by  the  rebukes  of  the  rod  and  by  the  persua- 
sive power  of  the  word,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock,"  etc. 

This  text  is  Christ's  wooing  voice,  full  of  heavenly  rhet- 
oric to  win  and  gain  the  hearts  of  sinners  to  himself;  wherein 
we  have  these  two  general  parts. 

1.  Christ's  suit  for  a  sinner's  heart. 

2.  The  powerful  arguments  enforcing  his  suit. 

1.  Christ's  suit  for  a  sinner's  heart,  in  which  is,  (1,) 
tlie  solemn  preface,  ushering  it  in,  "  BeJwldy  The  preface 
is  exceedingly  solemn ;  for  besides  the  common  use  of  this 
word  behold  in  other  places,  to  excite  attention  or  put 
weight  into  an  affirmation,  it  stands  here,  as  a  judicious 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY.  11 

expositor  says,  as  a  term  of  notification  or  public  record, 
wherein  Christ  takes  witnesses  of  the  most  ^•acious  offer  he 
was  now  about  to  make  to  their  souls,  and  will  have  it  stand 
for  a  perpetual  memorial  of  this  offer,  as  a  testimony  for  or 
against  their  souls  to  all  eternity,  to  cut  off  all  excuses  and 
pretences  for  time  to  come. 

(2.)  The  suitor,  Christ  himself,  "  /stand  ;"  I  who  have 
a  right  of  sovereignty  over  you  ;  I  who  have  shed  my  inval- 
uable blood  to  purchase  you,  and  might  justly  condemn  you 
upon  the  first  denial  or  demur,  "behold,  I  stand:"  this  is 
the  suitor. 

(3.)  His iJostitre  and  action,  "I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock  :"  the  word  is  fitly  translated,  "I  stand/'  yet  so  as  that 
it  notes  a  continual  action.  I  have  stood,  and  do  still  stand 
with  unwearied  patience  ;  I  once  stood  personally  and  bodily 
among  you  in  the  days  of  my  flesh,  and  I  still  stand  spirit- 
ually and  representatively  in  my  ambassadors  at  the  door, 
that  is,  the  mind  and  conscience,  the  faculties  and  powers 
which  are  introductory  to  the  whole  soul. 

The  word  "door"  is  here  properly  put  to  signify  those 
introductory  faculties  of  the  soul,  which  are  of  hke  use  to  it, 
as  the  door  is  to  the  house.  This  is  the  Uedeemer's  posture, 
his  action  is  knocking,  that  is,  his  powerful  and  gracious 
attempts  to  open  the  heart  to  give  him  admission.  The 
word  "knock"  signifies  a  strong  and  powerful  knock;  he 
stands  patiently,  and  knocks  powerfully  by  the  word  out- 
wardly, by  the  convictions,  motions,  impulses,  and  strivings 
of  his  Spirit  inwardly. 

(4.)  The  design  and  end  of  the  suit;  it  is  for  "open- 
ing" to  him,  that  is,  consenting,  receiving,  and  heartily 
accepting  him  by  faith.  The  Lord  opened  the  heart  of 
Lydia,  Acts  16  :  14  ;  that  is,  persuaded  her  soul  to  believe  ; 
implying  that  the  heart  by  nature  is  strongly  barred  and 
locked  up  against  Christ,  and  that  nothing  but  a  power  from 
him  can  open  it.  ' 


12  CHEIST  KNOCKINO  AT  THE   DOOR. 

2.  The 'poicerful  argumenU  mid  motives  used  by  Christ 
to  obtain  his  suit  in  the  sinner's  heart ;  and  they  arc  drawn 
from  two  inestimable  benefits  which  accrue  to  the  opening 
or  beheving  soul. 

(1.)  Union:  "I  will  come  in  to  him;"  that  is,  I  will 
unite  myself  with  the  opening,  believing  soul;  he  shall  be 
mystically  one  with  me,  and  I  with  him. 

(2.)  Communion:  "  I  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with 
me ;"  that  is,  I  will  feast  the  believing  soul  with  the  delica- 
cies of  heaven  ;  such  comforts,  joys,  and  pleasures  as  none 
but  believers  are  capable  of. 

And,  to  set  home  all,  these  special  benefits  are  proposed 
by  Christ  to  all  sorts  of  sinners,  great  and  small,  old  and 
young  :  "  If  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the  door  :" 
that  so  no  soul  might  be  discouraged  from  believing  by  the 
greatness  or  multitude  of  his  sins,  but  the  vilest  of  sinners 
may  see  free  grace  triumphing  over  all  their  unworthiness, 
on  their  consent  to  take  Christ  according  to  the  gracious 
ofiers  of  the  gospel. 

The  words  thus  opened  afford  many  great  and  useful 
points  of  doctrine,  comprehending  in  them  the  very  substance 
of  the  gospel.  The  first  which  arises  from  the  solemn  and 
remarkable  preface,  "  Behold,"  will  be  this: 

That  every  offer  of  Christ  to  the  souls  of  sinners  is 
recorded  and  ivitiiessed  ivith  respect  to  the  day  of  account 
and  reckoning. 

Here  we  shall  inquire  into  three  things  :  Who  are  God's 
witnesses  to  all  the  offers  of  the  gospel ;  what  they  witness 
to ;  and  why  God  records  every  offer  of  Christ,  and  takes  a 
witness  thereof. 

I.  "Who  are  God's  witnesses  to  all  the  tenders  and 
offers  made  of  Christ  by  the  gospel  ?  and  they  will  be  found 
to  be  more  than  a  strict  legal  number  ;  for, 

1.  His  tiiinisters,  by  whom  he  makes  them,  are  all  wit- 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY.  13 

iiesses  as  well  as  officers  of  Christ  to  the  people.  "  I  have 
appeared  unto  thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  minister 
and  a  witness."  Acts  26  :  16.  Here  you  see  ministers  have 
a  double  office,  to  propose  and  offer  Christ,  and  then  to  bear 
witness  for  or  against  those  to  whom  he  is  thus  offered  ;  they 
are  expressly  called  God's  witnesses.  Rev.  11  :  7.  Their 
labors  witness,  their  sufferings  witness,  their  solemn  appeals 
to  God  vidtness,  yea,  the  very  dust  of  their  feet  shaken  off 
against  the  refusers  of  Christ,  turns  to  a  testimony  against 
them.  Mark  6:11.  Every  sigh,  every  drop  of  sweat, 
much  more  of  blood,  are  placed  in  God's  book  along  with  aU 
their  sermons  and  prayers,  and  will  be  produced  and 'read  in 
the  great  day  against  all  the  refusers  and  despisers  of  Christ. 

2.  The  gospel  itself,  which  is  preached  to  you,  is  a  tes- 
timony or  witness  for  God  against  every  one  who  rejects  it. 
"  He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath 
one  that  judgeth  him  ;  the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the 
same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  John  12  :  48.  And 
tliis  is  the  sense  of  Christ's  word.  Matt.  24  :  14,  ''  And  this 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world, 
for  a  witness  unto  all  nations ;  and  then  shall  the  end 
come."  Ah,  what  a  solemn  record  is  here  ;  every  sermon 
you  hear,  yea,  every  reproof,  persuasion,  and  conviction  is  a 
witness  for  God  to  condemn  every  soul  in  judgment  that 
complies  not  immediately  with  the  calls  of  the  gospel  :  so 
many  sermons,  so  many  witnesses. 

3.  Every  man's  conscience  is  a  witness  for  God,  that 
he  has  a  fair  offer  made  him ;  the  very  consciences  of  the 
heathen  who  never  saw  a  Bible,  who  had  no  other  preachers 
but  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  and  other  works  of  nature  ; 
yet  of  them  the  apostle  says,  that  they  "  show  the  work  of 
the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience  also  bear- 
ing witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing 
or  else  excusing  one  another."  Rom.  2  :  15.  Certainly  if 
such  vigor  and  activity  was  put  into  the  consciences  of 


14  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOH. 

heathen,  who  could  only  read  the  will  of  God  by  the  dim 
moonlight  of  natural  reason,  how  much  more  vigorous  and 
active  will  conscience  be  in  its  accusing  office  against  all 
who  live  under  the  bright  beams  of  gospel  light.  Their 
consciences  will  be  swift  witnesses,  and  will  ring  sad  peals 
in  their  ears  another  day.  They  "  shall  know  that  there 
hath  been  a  prophet  among  them,"  Ezek.  2  :  5.  This 
single  witness  is  instead  of  a  thousand  other  witnesses  for 
God. 

4.  The  examples  of  all  ivlio  believe  a7icl  obey  the  gospel, 
are  so  many  vdtnesses  for  God  against  the  despisers  and  neg- 
lecters  of  the  great  salvation.  Every  mourning,  trembling 
soul  among  you  is  a  witness  against  all  the  dead-hearted,  un- 
believing, disobedient  ones  that  sit  with  them  under  the  same 
ordinances.  Hence  it  is  said,  "  Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints 
shall  judge  the  world  ?"  1  Cor.  6  :  2.  They  shall  be  asses- 
sors with  Christ  in  the  great  day,  and  condemn  the  world  by 
their  examples,  as  Noah  did  the  old  world.  Thus,  "  John 
came  unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye  believed 
him  not :  but  the  publicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him  ; 
and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterward,  that 
ye  might  believe  him."  Matt.  21  :  32.  As  if  he  had  said, 
What  shift  do  you  make  to  quiet  your  consciences  and  stifle 
your  convictions,  when  you  see  publicans,  the  worst  of  men, 
and  harlots,  the  worst  of  women,  repenting,  believing,  and 
hungering  after  Christ ;  their  examples  shall  be  your  judges. 
These  are  God's  witnesses. 

II.  Next  let  us  consider  what  is  the  object  matter 
unto  which  they  give  their  testimony,  and  that  will  be  found 
twofold,  according  to  the  twofold  effect  the  gospel  has  upon 
them  who  hear  it :  of  both  which  the  apostle  gives  this  ac- 
count, "  To  the  one  we  are  the  savor  of  death  unto  death  ; 
and  to  the  other  the  savor  of  life  unto  life."  2  Cor.  2:16. 
Accordingly  a  double  record  is  made. 

1 .   Of  the  obedience  and  faith  of  some,  which  record 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY.  15 

will  be  produced  to  their  joy  and  comfort  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord  ;  "when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and 
to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe  (because  our  testi- 
mony among  you  was  believed)  in  that  day."  2  Thess. 
1  :  10.  Ministers  are  instruments  of  espousing  souls  to 
Christ,  and  witnesses  to  those  espousals  between  him  and 
them.  2  Cor.  11  :  2.  Both  these  offices  are  exceedingly 
grateful  and  pleasant  to  every  faithful  minister. 

2.  A  record  is  made,  and  witness  taken  of  all  the  re- 
fusals, disobedience,  a?id  sliglitings  of  Christ  by  others. 
Thus  Moses  will  be  the  accuser  of  the  Jews.  "  Do  not  think 
'that  I  will  accuse  you  to  the  Father:  there  is  one  that 
accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust."  John  5  :  45, 
This  is  the  saddest  part  of  a  minister's  work  ;  the  fore- 
thoughts of  it  are  more  afflictive  than  all  our  labors  and 
sufferings.     There  is  a  threefold  record  made  in  this  case. 

(1.)  Of  the  time  men  have  enjoyed  under  the  means  of 
salvation,  how  many  years  they  have  sat  barren  and  cold- 
hearted  under  the  labors  of  God's  faithful  ministers.  "  Be- 
hold, these  three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig-tree, 
and  find  none."  Luke  13  :  7.  "Behold,"  the  same  term 
of  notification  with  that  in  the  text,  applied  to  the  time  of 
God's  patience  towards  them.  And  again,  "From  the 
thirteenth  year  of  Josiah  the  son  of  Anion  king  of  Judah, 
even  unto  this  day,  that  is  the  three  and  twentieth  year,  the 
word  of  the  Lord  hath  come  unto  me,  and  I  have  spoken 
unto  you,  rising  early  and  speaking  ;  but  ye  have  not  heark- 
ened." Jer.  25  :  3.  0  consider,  all  the  years  and  days  you 
have  spent  under  the  gospel  are  upon  your  doomsday-book. 

(2.)  Records  are  also  made  of  all  the  instruments  God 
has  employed  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  your  souls. 
So  many  ministers,  whether  fixed  or  transient,  as  have  spent 
their  labors  upon  you,  are  upon  the  book  of  your  account. 
"  The  Lord  hath  sent  unto  you  all  his  servants  the  prophets, 
rising  early  and  sending  them ;  but  ye  have  not  hearkened 


16  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT  THE   DOOR. 

nor  inclined  your  car  to  hear."  Jer.  25  :  4.  They  have 
wasted  then'  health,  dropped  their  compassionate  tears,  and 
burnt  doA\T.i  one  after  another  hke  candles,  to  direct  you  to 
Christ  and  salvation,  but  all  in  vain. 

(3.)  Every  call,  persuasion,  and  argument  used  by  them 
to  espouse  you  to  Christ,  is  likewise  upon  the  book  of  account. 
"  Because  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched 
out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  ;  but  ye  have  set  at 
naught  all  my  counsel,  and  would  none  of  my  reproof." 
Prov.  1  :  24,  25.  These  calls  and  counsels  are  of  too  great 
value  with  God,  though  of  none  with  you,  to  be  lost  and  left 
out  of  your  account. 

III.  We  shall  inquire  into  the  grounds  and  reasons  of 
these  judicial  procedures  of  God  :  why  he  will  have  every 
man's  obedience  and  disobedience  registered  and  witnessed 
for  or  against  him,  under  gospel  admmistrations  ;  and  there 
are  two  weighty  reasons  thereof 

1 .  That  tcherever  the  end  of  the  gosjyel  is  attained  in 
the  conversion  of  a  soul,  that  soid,  and  all  ivho  ivere  i?istru- 
mentallij  emijloyed  about  the  salvatio7i  of  it,  may  have  the 
froi^er  reward  and  comfort  in  the  great  day.  "  As  also 
ye  have  acknowledged  us  in  part,  that  we  are  your  rejoicing, 
even  as  ye  also  are  ours  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  2 
Cor.  1  :  14.  This  will  be  matter  of  joy  unspeakable,  both 
to  you  that  shall  receive,  and  to  them  that  shall  give  such 
a  comfortable  testimony  for  you.  0  the  joyful  congratula- 
tions of  that  day  between  laborious,  faithful  ministers,  and 
their  believing,  obedient  hearers.  "  Lord,  this  was  the  bless- 
ed instrument  of  my  happy  illumination  and  conversion ; 
though  I  might  have  ten  thousand  instructors  in  Christ,  yet 
not  many  fathers  ;  for  by  the  blessing  of  thy  Spirit  on  this 
man's  ministry,  my  soul  was  begotten  to  Christ."  And,  on 
the  other  side,  "  Lord,  these  are  the  souls  for  whom  I  trav- 
ailed, as  in  birth,  until  Christ  was  formed  in  them."  It  is 
a  glorious  thing  to  say,  as  the  prophet,  "  Here  am  I,  and  the 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY.  17 

children  God  liatli  given  me."  Nay,  those  who  Vv^ere  but 
collaterally  useful  to  help  on  the  work  of  God  begun  by 
others,  must  not  lose  their  reward  m  that  day.  "  And  he 
that  reapeth  receiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  mito  hfe 
eternal,  tiiat  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may 
rejoice  together."     John  4  :  36. 

2.  Records  are  now  made,  and  witness  taken,  that  theTC- 
hy  the  judicial  sente?ice  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  last  day 
may  be  made  clear  to  all  the  ivorld  ;  that  every  mouth  may 
be  stopped,  and  no  plea  left  in  the  mouth  of  any  condemned 
sinner.  For  Christ  in  that  day  cometh  "  to  convince  all  that 
are  ungodly,"  Jude  15  ;  to  convince  by  demonstration,  that 
all  that  are  Christless  now  may  be  found  speechless  then. 
Matt.  22  :  12.  Hence  it  is  said,  "The  ungodly  shall  not 
stand  in  the  judgment."  Psalm  1:5.  And  no  wonder, 
when  so  many  full  testimonies  and  unexceptionable  wit- 
nesses shall  come  point  blank  against  them  :  the  ministers 
that  preached,  the  word  they  preached,  their  own  conscien- 
ces, and  the  example  of  all  believers  will  be  produced  against 
them. 

Inference  1.  The  undoubted  certainty  of  a  day  of 
judgment  is  hence  evinced.  To  what  purpose  else  are 
records  made,  and  witness  taken,  but  with  respect  to  an 
audit-day  ?  This  is  a  truth  sealed  on  the  conscience  of  the 
very  heathen ;  their  consciences  bear  witness.  E,om.  2:15. 
But  in  vain  are  all  these  records  made,  unless  there  be  a  day 
to  produce  and  plead  them ;  and  of  that  day  the  prophet 
Daniel  speaks,  "  The  judgment  was  set,  and  the  books  were 
opened."  Daniel  7  :  10.  And  again,  "I  saw  the  dead, 
small  and  great,  stand  before  God  ;  and  the  books  were 
opened ;  and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of 
life  ;  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  tilings  which 
were  written  in  the  book,  according  to  their  works."  Rev 
20  :  12. 

Believe  it,  friends,  these  are  no  cunningly  devised  fables, 


18  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

tut  awful  and  infallible  truths.  If  the  gospel  now  produces 
saving  effects,  it  will  then  be  a  time  of  refreshing  to  our 
souls,  Acts  3:19;  but  to  all  who  reject  it,  it  will  be  a  day 
of  terror,  wTath,  and  amazement.  It  will  be  the  day  in 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with 
his  mighty  angels>  in  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.     2  Thess.  1  :  7,  8. 

2,  What  a  motive  is  here  to  oninisterial  diligence  and 
faithfulness.  It  is  an  awful  work  that  is  under  our  hands  ; 
the  effects  of  the  gospel  which  we  preach  will  be  the  savor 
of  life  or  death  to  them  that  hear  us.  If  the  Lord  prosper 
it  in  our  hands,  we  shall  be  witnesses  for  you  ;  it  will  be  an 
addition  to  our  glory  in  heaven.  "  They  that  be  wise,  shall 
shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 
Dan.  12  :  3.  But  if  we  are  ignorant,  lazy,  or  men-pleasers, 
our  people  wall  come  in  as  swift  witnesses  against  us,  and 
their  blood  will  be  required  at  our  hands  ;  it  will  be  an  intol- 
erable aggravation  to  our  misery  in  hell,  to  have  any  that 
sat  under  our  ministry  thus  upbraiding  us :  "0  cruel  man, 
thou  sawest  my  soul  in  danger,  and  never  didst  deal  faith- 
fully and  plainly  with  me ;  the  time  and  breath  that  was 
spent  in  idle  and  worldly  discourse,  might  have  been  instru- 
mental to  save  me  from  this  place  of  torment."  Let  minis- 
ters consider  themselves  as  witnesses  for  God,  and  their 
people  as  witnesses  for  or  against  them ;  and  under  that 
consideration,  let  them  so  study,  preach,  and  pray,  that  they 
may  with  Paul  take  God  to  record  that  they  are  free  from 
the  blood  of  all  men  :  no  men  on  earth  have  more  motives  to 
diligence  and  faithfulness  than  we  have. 

3.  What  an  a7'gument  is  this  to  banish  formality  froyn 
all  ivho  hear  us.  Every  Sabbath,  every  sermon,  is  recorded 
in  heaven  for  or  against  your  souls  :  in  what  way  soever 
you  attend  to  the  word,  all  that  you  hear  is  set  down  in  the 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY.  19 

"book  of  your  account ;  think  not  you  shall  return  as  you 
came ;  the  word  will  have  its  effect ;  it  shall  not  return  in 
vain,  but  shall  accomplish  the  end  for  which  it  is  sent.  Isa. 
55  :  11.  The  decrees  of  heaven  are  executed  by  the  gospel ; 
some  souls  shall  be  quickened,  and  others  shall  be  slain  by 
the  word  of  God's  mouth.  The  gospel  is  a  river  of  the 
water  of  life,  which  quickens  and  refreshes  every  thing  that 
lives ;  but  the  miry  and  marshy  places  shall  not  be  healed. 
Ezek.  47  :  11.  How  weighty,  therefore,  is  that  caution  of 
our  Lord,  "Take  heed  how  ye  hear."  Luke  8  :  18.  When 
you  come  under  an  ordinance,  you  are  sowing  seed  for  eternity, 
which  will  spring  up  in  the  world  to  come.  Preaching  and 
hearing  may  be  considered  two  ways,  physically  and  moral- 
ly ;  in  the  former  respect,  these  acts  are  quicldy  over  and  pass 
away.  I  shall  by  and  by  have  done  preaching,  and  you 
hearing ;  but  the  consequences  thereof  will  abide  for  ever. 
Therefore,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  away  with  formality  ;  no 
more  drowsy  eyes  or  wandering  thoughts.  Oh,  when  you 
come  to  attend  upon  the  mmistry  of  the  gospel,  that  such 
thoughts  as  these  may  prepare  your  minds  :  The  word  I  am 
going  to  hear  will  quicken  or  kill,  save  or  condemn  my  soul ; 
if  I  sit  dead  under  it,  and  return  barren  from  it,  I  shall  wish 
one  day  that  I  had  never  seen  the  face  nor  heard  the  voice 
of  the  mmister  who  preached  it. 

4.  What  a  dreadful  condition  are  all  tliose  in  lolio 
are  enemies,  to  the  gospel  and  those  ivho  preach  it :  who, 
instead  of  embracing  and  obeying  the  message  of  the  gospel, 
reject  and  despise  it ;  instead  of  opening  their  hearts  to  re- 
ceive it,  open  their  blasphemous  mouths  to  deride  it,  and 
hiss  it,  if  it  were  possible,  out  of  the  world.  Ah,  what  a 
book  of  remembrance  is  written  for  such  men.  I  fear  that 
never,  since  Christianity  blessed  this  nation,  was  there  an 
age  more  deeply  drenched  in  the  guilt  of  this  sin  than  the 
present.  How  are  the  messengers  of  the  gospel  slighted  and 
rejected  1     What  have  we  done  to  deserve  it  ?     Is  not  our 


20  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

case  this  day  much  like  that  of  the  prophet  ?  "  Shall  evil 
be  recompensed  for  good  ?  for  they  have  digged  a  pit  for  my 
soul.  Remember  that  I  stood  before  thee  to  speak  good  for 
them,  and  to  turn  away  thy  wrath  from  them."  Jer.  18  :  20. 
What  brutish  madness  hath  possessed  the  souls  of  these 
men  I  But  alas,  it  is  not  so  much  they,  as  Satan  acting  in 
them  ;  he  is  a  jealous  prince,  the  gospel  alarms  him,  his  sub- 
jects are  in  danger  of  revolting  from  him  :  no  wonder,  there- 
fore, he  makes  an  outcry  at  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  as  is 
usually  made  when  an  enemy  invades  a  kingdom.  In  this 
case  Christ  directs  his  ministers  to  shake  off  the  dust  of  their 
feet  for  a  testimony  against  them.  Mark  6:11.  The  mean- 
ing of  which  is  this,  that  as  you  shake  off  the  dust  of  your 
feet,  even  so  Jesus  Christ  will  shake  off  those  men  who  de- 
spise the  gospel  and  abuse  his  messengers. 

5.  Hence  it  likewise  follows,  tliat  the  case  of  the  hea- 
then world  will  be  easier  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than 
theirs,  ivho  live  and  die  unregenerate  and  disobedient  under 
the  go^i^el  of  Christ.  There  are  more  witnesses  prepared, 
and  records  filed  against  the  day  of  your  account,  than  can 
possibly  be  against  them  :  they  have  abused  but  one  talent, 
the  light  of  nature  ;  but  we-  thousands,  even  as  many  as  we 
have  had  opportunities  and  calls  under  the  gospel.  Upon 
this  account  Christ  saith,  "  Whosoever  shall  not  receive  you, 
nor  hear  your  words,  when  ye  depart  out  of  that  house  or 
city,  shake  off  the  dust  of  your  feet.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah, in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  that  city."  Matt. 
10:  14,  15. 

Ah,  what  a  fearful  aggravation  does  it  put  on  our  sin 
and  miseiy,  that  we  are  not  only  accountable  for  all  the 
light  we  had,  but  for  all  that  we  might  have  had  in  the 
gospel-day.  Capernaum  was  lifted  up  to  heaven  in  the  en- 
joyment of  means  and  precious  opportunities,  Matt.  11  :  23  ; 
and  had  an  answerable  downfall  into  the  depth  of  misery 


OFFERS  OF  MERCY,  21 

from  that  height  of  mercy ;  as  the  higher  any  one  is  lifted 
up  upon  a  rack,  the  more  terrible  is  the  injury  he  receives 
by  the  fall. 

6.  We  may  also  infer,  that  the  day  of  judgment 
must  take  up  a  vast  space  of  time.  God  will  bring  every 
thing  into  judgment,  Eccl.  12  :  14  :  not  only  sinful  actions, 
but  words.  Matt.  12  :  36  ;  not  only  words,  but  heart-secrets. 
Rom.  2  :  16.  If  all  the  records  and  registers  now  made 
shall  then  be  opened  and  read,  all  the  witnesses  for  or 
against  every  man  examined  and  heard,  judge  then  what  a 
vast  space  of  time  will  that  great  day  take  up.  This  is 
sure,  things  will  not  be  huddled  up,  nor  shuffled  over  in 
haste  ;  you  have  taken  your  time  for  sinnmg,  and  God  will 
take  his  time  for  judging. 

Consider  the  multitudes,  multitudes  without  number, 
who  are  to  be  judged  in  that  day,  even  all  the  posterity  of 
Adam,  which  are  as  the  sand  upon  the  sea-shore ;  that  not 
only  so  many  persons,  but  all  that  they  have  done,  must 
come  into  judgment,  even  the  very  thoughts  of  their  hearts 
which  never  came  to  the  knowledge  of  men;  their  consciences 
to  be  interrogated,  and  all  other  witnesses  fully  heard  :  how 
great  a  day  must  this  day  of  the  Lord  be. 

But  the  main  use  of  this  point  will  be  for  exhortation, 
that  seeing  all  the  offers  of  Christ  are  recorded  and  wit- 
nessed, with  respect  to.  a  day  of  account,  every  one  of  you 
would  immediately  embrace  the  present  gracious  tender  of 
Christ  in  the  gospel,  as  you  hope  to  be  acquitted  in  that 
great  day  :  take  heed  of  denials,  nay,  even  of  delays ;  "for 
if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast,  and  every  trans- 
gression and  disobedience  received  a  just  recompense  of  re- 
ward :  how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
tion?" Heb.  2  :  2,  3.  The  question  is  put,  but  no  answer 
made  :  "  How  shall  we  escape  ?"  The  wisdom  of  men  and 
ansrels  cannot  tell  how.     To  enforce  this  exhortation,  I  shall 


22  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE    DOOR. 

present  you  with  ten  weighty  considerations,  which  may  the 
Lord  follow  home,  by  the  blessing  of  his  Spirit  on  all  your 
hearts. 

7.  Consider  hoiv  invaluable  a  mercy  it  is  that  you  are 
yet  within  the  reach  of  offered  grace.  The  mercies  set 
before  you  this  day,  were  never  set  before  the  angels  who 
fell ;  no  Mediator  was  ever  appointed  for  them.  0  aston- 
ishing mercy  I  that  those  vessels  of  gold  should  be  cast  into 
everlasting  fire,  and  that  such  clay  vessels  as  we  are,  should 
be  thus  put  into  a  capacity  of  greater  happiness  than  ever 
they  fell  from ;  nay,  the  mercy  offered  to  you  is  not  only  de- 
nied to  the  angels  that  fell,  but  to  the  greatest  part  of  your 
fellow-creatures  of  the  same  rank  and  dignity  with  you  : 
"  He  showeth  his  word  unto  Jacob,  his  statutes  and  his  judg- 
ments unto  Israel.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation : 
and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known  them.  Praise 
ye  the  Lord."  Psalm  147:  19,  20.  A  mercy  deservedly 
celebrated  with  a  joyful  Alleluia.  What  vast  tracts  are 
there  in  the  world  where  the  name  of  Christ  is  unknown ; 
it  is  your  special  mercy  to  be  born  in  a  land  of  Bibles  and 
ministers,  where  it  is  as  difficult  for  you  to  avoid  the  light, 
as  it  is  for  others  to  behold  and  enjoy  it. 

8.  Consider  the  nature,  iveight,  and  worth  of  the  mer- 
cies ivhich  are  this  day  freely  offered  you.  Certainly  they 
are  mercies  of  the  first  rank,  the  most  precious  and  neces- 
sary among  all  the  mercies  of  God.  Christ  the  first-born  of 
mercies,  and  in  him  pardon,  peace,  and  eternal  salvation  are 
set  before  you  :  it  would  be  surprising  to  see  a  starving  man 
refuse  offered  bread,  or  a  condemned  man  a  gracious  pardon. 
Lord,  what  a  compound  of  sloth  and  stupidity  are  we,  that 
we  should  need  so  many  entreaties  to  be  happy. 

9.  Consider  who  it  is  that  snakes  these  gracious  tenders 
of  imrdon,  'peace,  a7id  salvation,  to  you;  even  that  God 
whom  you  have  so  deeply  wronged,  whose  laws  you  have 
violated,  whose  mercies  you  have  spurned,  and  whose  wrath 


OFFERS  OF  MEECY.  23 

you  have  justly  incensed.  His  patience  groans  under  the 
burden  of  your  daily  provocations  :  he  loses  nothing  if  you 
are  lost,  and  receives  no  benefit  if  you  are  saved ;  yet  the 
first  motions  of  mercy  and  salvation  to  you  freely  arise  out 
of  his  grace  arid  good  pleasure.  God  entreats  you  to  be 
reconciled.  2  Cor.  5  :  20.  The  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  whose 
blood  thy  sins  have  shed,  now  freely  offers  that  blood  for  thy 
reconciliation,  justification,  and  salvation,  if  thou  wilt  but 
sincerely  accept  him  ere  it  be  too  late. 

10.  Reflect  seriously  upon  your  own  vileness,  to  ivJiom 
such  gracious  offers  of  peace  and  mercy  are  made.  Thy 
sins  have  set  thee  at  as  great  a  distance  from,  the  hope  of 
pardon,  as  any  sinner  in  the  world.  Consider,  man,  what 
thou  hast  been,  what  thou  hast  done,  and  what  vast  heaps 
of  guilt  thou  hast  contracted  by  a  life  of  sin. ;  and  yet,  that 
unto  thee  pardon  and  peace  should  be  offered^ in  Christ  after 
such  a  hfe  of  rebellion,  how  astonishing  is  the  mercy.  The 
Lord  is  ready  to  pass  by  all  thy  former  rebellions,  thy  deep- 
dyed  transgressions,  and  to  sign  an  act  of  oblivion  for  all  that 
is  past,  if  now  at  last  thy  heart  relents  for  sin,  and  thy  will 
bows  in  obedience  to  the  great  commands  and  calls  of  the 
gospel.     Isa.  55  :  2  ;   1:18. 

11.  Consider  how  many  offers  of  mercy  you  have 
already  refused,  and  that  every  refusal  is  recorded  against 
you;  how  long  you  have  tried,  and  even  tired  the  patience 
of  God  already,  and  that  this  may  be  the  last  overture  of 
grace  that  ever  God  will  make  to  your  soul.  Certainly 
there  is  an  offer  that  will  be  the  last  offer,  a  strivmg  of  the 
Spirit  which  will  be  his  last  striving ;  and  after  that,  no 
more  offers  wdthout  you,  no  more  motions  or  strivings  within 
you  for  evermore.  The  treaty  is  then  ended,  and  your  last 
neglect  or  rejection  of  Christ  recorded  against  the  day  of 
your  account ;  and  what  if  this  should  prove  to  be  that  last 
tender  of  grace  which  must  conclude  the  treaty  between 
Christ  and  you  ?  what  an  undone  wretch  must  you  then  be, 


24  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

with  whom  so  gracious  a  treaty  breaks  off  upon  such  dread- 
ful terms. 

12.  Consider  ivell  the  reasonable  and  gracious  oiature 
of  the  gospel-terons  o?i  tvliich  life  and  pardon  are  offered 
to  you.  Acts  20  :  21.  The  gospel  requires  of  you  repent- 
ance and  faith.  Can  you  think  it  hard  when  a  prince  par- 
dons a  rebel,  to  require  him  to  fall  on  his  knees,  and  stretch 
forth  a  willing  and  thankful  hand  to  receive  his  pardon  ? 
Your  repentance  and  faith  are  much  of  the  same  nature. 
Here  is  no  legal  satisfaction  required  at  your  hands,  no  repa- 
ration of  the  injured  law  by  your  doings  or  sufferings ;  but  a 
hearty  sorrow  for  sins  committed,  sincere  purposes  and  en- 
deavors after  new  obedience,  and  a  hearty,  thankful  accept- 
ance of  Christ  your  Saviour;  and  for  your  encouragement 
herein,  his  Spirit  stands  ready  to  work  in  you  all  that  you 
need.  "Turn  you  at  my  reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour  out 
my  Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto 
you."  Prov.  1  :  23.  "  Thou  also  hast  wrought  all  our 
works  m  us."     Isa.  26  :  12. 

13.  Consider  hoiv  your  ivay  to  Christ,  by  re2')e7itance 
a7id  faith,  lias  been  travelled  before  you  by  thousands  of  sin- 
ners for  your  encouragement.  You  are  not  the  first  that  ever 
ventured  his  soul  in  this  path  ;  multitudes  have  gone  before 
you,  and  that  under  as  much  guilt,  fear,  and  discouragement 
as  you  can  pretend  to ;  and  not  a  man  among  them  was  re- 
pulsed or  discouraged  :  here  they  have  found  rest  and  peace 
to  their  weary  souls.  Heb.  4:3;  Acts  13  :  39.  Here  the 
greatest  sinners  have  been  set  forth  for  an  ensample  to  you 
that  should  afterwards  believe  on  his  name.  1  Tim.  1:16. 
You  see,  if  you  will  not,  others  will  joyfully  accept  the  offers 
of  Christ.  What  discouragements  have  you  that  they  had  not ; 
or  what  greater  encouragements  had  they  which  God  has  not 
given  you  this  day  ?  therefore  they  shall  be  your  judges. 

14.  Consider  the  great  hazard  of  the  precious  seasons 
you  710W  enjoy.     Opportunity  is  the  golden  spot  of  time,  but 


OFFERS   OF  MERCY.  25 

it  is  a  very  slippery  and  uncertain  thing  :  great  and  manifold 
are  the  hazards  attending  it.  Your  life  is  uncertain,  your 
breath  continually  going  in  your  nostrils  ;  and  that  which  is 
every  moment  going,  will  he  gone  at  last.  The  gospel  is  as 
uncertain  as  your  life  ;  God  hath  made  no  such  settlement 
of  it,  hut  that  he  may  at  pleasure  remove  it,  and  will  cer- 
tainly do  so  if  we  thus  trifle  under  it :  it  is  but  a  candlestick, 
though  a  golden  one.  Rev.  2  :  5,  and  that  you  all  know  is 
a  movable  thing.  Not  only  your  life,  and  the  means  of  your 
eternal  life,  I  mean  the  gospel,  are  uncertain ;  but  even  the 
motions  and  strivings  of  the  Spirit  with  your  soul  are  as  un- 
certain as  either.  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling  ;  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  Phil.  2  :  12,  13.  That 
God  now  works  with  you  is  matter  of  great  encouragement 
to  your  work ;  but  that  he  works  at  his  own  pleasure,  as  a 
free  agent  who  can  cease  when  he  pleases  and  never  give 
one  knock  at  your  heart  more,  should  make  you  work  with 
fear  and  trembling. 

15.  Think  luhat  a  fearful  aggravation  it  ivill  be  both 
of  your  sin  and  misery,  to  i^eriih  in  the  sight  of  an  offered 
remedy  ;  to  sink  into  hell  between  the  outstretched  arms  of 
a  compassionate  Redeemer,  that  would  have  gathered  you, 
but  you  would  not.  Heathens,  yea,  devils  will  upbraid  you 
in  hell  for  such  unaccountable  folly  and  desperate  madness ; 
heathens  will  say,  "Alas,  we  had  but  the  dim  light  of  na- 
ture, which  did  indeed  discover  sin,  but  not  Christ  the  rem- 
edy. Ah,  had  your  preachers  and  your  Bibles  been  sent 
among  us,  how  gladly  would  we  have  embraced  them." 
God  said  to  Ezekiel,  "  Surely,  had  I  sent  thee  to  them,  they 
would  have  hearkened  unto  thee."  Ezek.  3  :  6.  See  also 
Matt.  11  :  21.  The  very  devils  will  upbraid  you  :  "  0  if 
God  had  sent  a  Mediator  in  our  nature,  we  would  not  have 
rejected  him  as  you  have  done ;"  but  "  he  took  not  on  him 
the  nature  of  angels." 

Christ  Knookinjr.  2 


26  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

16.  How  just,  as  ivell  as  sure,  ivill  your  condemnation 
he  in  the  great  day,  against  whom  such  a  cloud  of  ivitnesses 
will  appear.  0  how  manifest  will  the  righteousness  of  God 
be ;  men  and  angels  shall  applaud  the  sentence,  and  your 
own  consciences  shall  acknowledge  the  equity  of  it.  You 
that  are  Christless  now,  will  be  speechless  then.  Matt. 
22  :  12.  "  Knowing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men."  2  Cor.  5  :  11.  I  tremble  to  think  of  being 
summoned  as  a  witness  against  any  of  your  souls,  0  that 
I  may  be  your  rejoicing,  and  you  mme  in  the  day  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


CHEIST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  27 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   PHESENCE    OF    CHEIST   IN  HIS 
ORDINANCES. 

<'  BEHOLD,   I  STAND  AT  THE   DOOR  AND  KNOCK."    Rev.  3  :  20. 

Having  pondered  Christ's  solemn  preface  to  his  earnest 
suit,  the  next  thing  which  comes  under  our  consideration,  is 
the  person  soliciting  and  pleading  for  admission  into  the 
hearts  of  sinners,  which  is  Christ  himself. 

"  Behold,  I  stand."  The  only  difficulty  here  is  rightly 
to  apprehend  the  manner  of  Christ's  presence  in  gospel 
administrations  ;  for  it  is  manifest  that  the  person  of  Christ 
was  at  this  time  in  heaven  :  his  bodily  presence  was  removed 
from  this  lower  world  above  sixty  years  before  this  epistle 
was  WTitten  to  the  Laodiceans.  John's  banishment  into 
Patmos  is,  by  Eusebius,  out  of  Irenseus  and  Clemens  Alex- 
andrinus,  placed  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  the 
emperor  Domitian,  and  under  his  second  persecution,  which 
was  about  the  ninety-seventh  year  from  the  birth  of 
Christ. 

Yet  here  he  saith,  "Behold,  I  stand  ;"  not  my  messengers 
and  ministers  only,  but  I  by  my  spiritual  presence  among 
you ;  I  your  sovereign  Lord  and  owner,  who  have  all  right 
and  authority  by  creation  and  redemption  to  possess  and 
dispose  of  your  souls  ;  it  is  I  that  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock,  I  by  my  Spirit,  soliciting  and  moving  by  the  ministry 
of  men.  You  see  none  but  men  ;  but  believe  it,  I  am  really 
and  truly,  though  spiritually  and  invisibly,  present  in  all 
those  administrations :  all  those  knocks,  motions,  and  solici- 
tations, are  truly  mine ;  they  are  my  acts,  and  I  own  them, 
and  so  I  would  have  you  to  conceive  and  apprehend  them. 
Hence  the  second  doctrine  is  this  : 


28  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOH. 

Jesus  Christ  is  truly  present  ivith  men  in  his  ordi- 
nances, and  hath  to  do  with  thein,  and  they  with  him, 
though  he  he  not  visible  to  their  carnal  eyes. 

Thus  runs  the  promise  :  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 
Matt.  18  :  20.  The  middle  place  in  the  Jewish  assemblies, 
was  the  seat  of  the  president,  where  he  might  equally  hear 
and  be  heard  of  all.  So,  saith  Jesus,  will  I  be  in  the  midst 
of  the  assemblies  of  the  faithful,  met  together  in  my  name 
and  by  my  authority,  to  bless,  guide,  and  protect  them. 
Hence  the  church  is  called  the  place  of  his  feet,  Isaiah 
60  :  13  ;  a  manifest  allusion  to  the  ark,  called  God's  foot- 
stool. Psalm  99  :  5.  And  agreeably  hereunto,  Christ  is  said 
to  walk  among  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  Rev.  2:1. 
There  are  the  spiritual  walks  of  Christ ;  there  he  converses 
and  communes  with  men.  And  this  presence  of  Christ  was 
not  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  first  churches,  but  is  com- 
mon to  all  the  churches  of  the  saints  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  as  appears  by  that  glorious  promise  so  comfortably 
extended  to  the  church  from  first  to  last :  *'  Lo,  I  am  with 
you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  Matt.  28  :  20. 
This  promise  is  the  ground  of  all  our  faith  and  expectation 
of  benefit  from  ordinances  ;  and  the  subjects  of  it  are  not 
here  considered  personally,  but  officially  ;  to  you,  and  all 
that  succeed  you  in  the  same  work  and  office  ;  not  to  you 
only  as  extraordinary,  but  to  all  the  succeeding  ordinary 
standing  officers  in  my  church.  As  for  the  apostles,  neither 
their  life  nor  their  extraordinary  office  was  to  continue 
long,  but  this  promise  w^as  to  continue  "  to  the  end  of  the 
world." 

Nor  is  this  promise  made  absolutely,  but  conditionally ; 
the  connection  of  the  promise  with  the  command  enforces 
this  qualified  sense  :  "  The  Lord  is  with  you,  while  ye  be 
with  him."  2  Chron.  15:2.  Ignorant,  idle,  unqualified 
persons  cannot  claim  the  benefit  of  this  gracious  grant. 


CHRIST  IN   HIS   ORDINANCES.  29 

Once  more,  this  promise  is  made  to  every  hour  and  min- 
ute of  time.  I  am  with  you  "  all  the  days,"  as  it  is  in  the 
Greek  text ;  in  dark  and  dangerous,  as  well  as  peaceable  and 
encouraging  days :  and  it  is  closed  with  a  solemn  amen,  so 
be  it,  or  so  it  shall  be. 

To  open  tliis  point  distinctly,  we  are  to  consider  that 
there  is  a  threefold  presence  of  Christ. 

1.  There  is  a  corporeal  presence  of  Christ,  which  the 
church  once  enjoyed  on  earth,  when  he  went  in  and  out 
among  his  people.  Acts  1:21;  when  their  eyes  saw  him, 
and  their  hands  handled  him.  1  John,  1:1.  This  pres- 
ence was  a  great  consolation  to  the  disciples,  and  therefore 
they  were  much  dejected  when  it  was  about  to  be  removed 
from  them.  But  after  his  work  was  finished  on  earth,  this 
bodily  presence  was  no  longer  necessary  to  be  continued  in 
this  world,  but  to  be  removed  to  heaven,  John  16:7;  as 
indeed  it  was,  and  must  there  abide  until  the  time  of  the 
restitution  of  all  things.  Acts  3:21.  And  in  this  respect 
he  tells  the  disciples,  "  I  leave  the  world,  and  go  to  the 
Father."     John  16  :  28. 

2.  There  is  a  represented  presence  of  Christ  in  ordi- 
nances. As  the  person  of  a  king  is  represented  in  another 
country  by  his  ambassadors,  so  is  Christ  in  this  world  by 
his  ministers  :  "  We  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead, 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  2  Cor.  5  :  20.  Christ  is  engaged 
in  other  work  for  us  in  heaven,  but  we  stand  in  his  stead  on 
earth.  And  this  shows  the  great  dignity  of  the  ministerial 
office  :  whatever  abuse  or  contempt  is  cast  on  ministers,  it 
reflects  upon  Christ :  "  He  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me." 
Luke  10  :  16.  It  also  teaches  us  whence  is  the  validity  of 
gospel  administrations.  Christ  ratifies  and  confirms  them 
with  his  owTi  authority.  It  also  instructs  us  how  wise, 
spiritual,  and  holy,  ministers  should  be,  who  represent  Christ 
to  the  world.     A  drunkard,  a  persecutor,  a  sensual  world- 


30  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOE.. 

ling,  is  but  an  ill  representative  of  the  blessed  and  holy 
Jesus. 

3.  Besides  these  two,  there  is  a  sinritual  iweseiice  of 
Christ  in  the  churches  and  ordinances  ;  and  this  presence  of 
Christ  by  his  Spirit,  who  is  his  vicegerent  or  representative, 
is  to  be  considered  as  that  from  which  all  gospel  ordinances 
derive  their  beauty  and  glory,  their  power  and  efficacy,  their 
awful  solemnity,  and  their  continuance  and  stability. 

(1.)  From  the  presence  of  Christ  by  his  Spirit,  the  ordi- 
nances and  churches  derive  their  beauty  a7id  glory:  "To 
see  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the 
sanctuary."     Psalm  63  :  2. 

As  the  beauty  of  the  body  results  from  the  soul  which 
animates  it ;  and  when  the  soul  is  gone,  the  beauty  of  the 
body  is  gone  also  ;  so  the  beauty  and  glory  of  all  ordinances 
come  and  go  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  the  very 
soul  of  them.  The  churches  are  indeed  golden  candlesticks, 
but  the  candlestick  has  no  light  but  what  the  candle  gives 
it ;  hence  that  magnificent  description  of  the  new  temple  is 
closed  up  in  this  expression  :  "  The  name  of  the  city  from 
that  day  shall  be.  The  Lord  is  there."     Ezek.  48  :  35. 

(2.)  From  this  spiritual  presence  of  Christ,  gospel-ordi- 
nances derive  all  the  poiver  mid  efficacy  which  is  by  them 
exerted  upon  the  souls  of  men,  either  in  their  conversion  or 
edification.  This  power  is  not  inherent  in  them,  nor  do  they 
act  as  natural,  necessary  agents,  but  as  instituted  means, 
which  are  successful  or  unsuccessful  according  as  Christ  by 
his  Spirit  cooperates  with  them  :  "  So  then,  neither  is  he  that 
planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth  ;  but  God  that 
giveth  the  increase."  1  Cor.  3  :  7.  That  is,  they  are  noth- 
ing to  the  accomplishment  of  men's  salvation,  without  the 
concurrence  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  For  when  the  apostle 
makes  himself  and  Apollos,  with  all  other  ministers,  nothing, 
we  must  understand  him  as  speakmg  comparatively  and  rel- 
atively ;  they  are  necessary  m  their  places,  and  sufficient  in 


CHRIST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  31 

their  kind  for  what  they  are  appointed  to,  else  it  would  be 
a  reflection  on  the  wisdom  of  God  that  instituted  them  :  but 
in  themselves  they  are  nothing  ;  as  a  trumpet  or  wind  instru- 
ment is  nothing  as  to  its  use,  except  breath  be  inspired  into 
it,  and  that  breath  modulated  by  the  skill  of  the  inspirer ; 
like  EzekieFs  wheels,  that  moved  not  but  as  the  Spirit  that 
was  in  them  moved  and  directed  their  motions.  If  ordi- 
nances wrought  upon  souls  naturally  and  necessarily,  as  the 
fire  burns,  they  could  not  fail  of  success  on  all  that  come 
under  them.  But  it  is  with  them  as  %ith  the  waters  of  the 
pool  at  Bethesda,  whose  healing  virtue  was  only  found  at  the 
season  when  the  angel  descended  and  troubled  them. 

(3.)  This  spiritual  presence  of  Christ  gives  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  the  awful  solemnity  which  is  due  upon 
that  account  to  them.  The  presence  of  Christ  in  them 
commands  reverence  from  all  that  are  about  him.  "  God  is 
greatly  to  be  feared  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints,  and  to  be 
had  in  rcTcrence  of  all  them  that  are  about  him,"  Psalm 
89  :  7  ;  hence  is  that  solemn  caution  or  threatening,  "If  ye 
will  not  be  reformed  by  me  by  these  things,  but  will  walk 
contrary  unto  me,  then  will  I  also  walk  contraiy  unto  you." 
Bev.  26  :  23,  24.  The  Hebrew  word  signifies  to  walk  raslily 
with  God,  without  considermg  with  whom  we  have  to  do, 
and  what  an  awful  majesty  we  stand  before.  And  the  pun- 
ishment is  suitable  to  the  sin :  I  also  will  walk  at  an  adven- 
ture with  you,  making  no  discrimination  in  my  judgments 
between  your  persons  and  the  persons  of  the  worst  of  men. 
0  that  this  were  duly  considered  by  all  that  have  to  do  with 
God  in  gospel-institutions, 

(4.)  It  is  the  spiritual  presence  of  Christ  in  his  churches 
and  ordinances  which  gives  them  their  continuance  and 
stability.  Whenever  the  Spirit  of  Christ  departs  from  them, 
it  will  not  be  long  before  they  depart  from  us  ;  or  if  they 
should  not,  their  continuance  will  be  little  to  our  advantage. 
When  the  glory  of  the  Lord  descended  from  between  the 


32  CHUIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOR. 

cherubims,  when  that  sad  voice  was  heard  in  the  temple, 
"Let  us  go  hence,"  how  soon  were  both  city  and  temple 
made  a  desolation ;  and  truly  Christ's  presence  is  not  so 
fixed  to  any  place  or  ordinances,  but  the  sins  of  the  people 
may  banish  it  away.  Rev.  2:5.  "Who  will  tarry  in  any 
place  longer  than  he  is  welcome,  if  he  have  anywhere  else 
to  go  ? 

But  more  particularly,  let  us  here  discuss  these  two 
points  :  How  it  appears  Christ  is  thus  spiritually  present  with 
his  churches  and  oi^inances  ;  and  why  it  is  necessary  he 
should  be  so. 

I.  By  what  evidence  does  it  appear  that  there  is  such  a 
presence  of  Christ  wdth  his  churches  and  ordinances  ?  And 
this  will  appear  by  two  undeniable  evidences. 

1 .  From  their  luonderful  iwe?>ervation  ;  for  it  is  wholly 
inconceivable,  how  the  churches,  ministers,  and  ordinances 
should  be  supported  and  preserved  without  it,  amidst  such 
hosts  of  powerful  and  enraged  enemies.  If  Christ  were  not 
among  them,  they  had  certamly  been  swallowed  up  long  ago. 
It  is  he  who  holds  the  stars  in  his  right  hand.  Rev.  2:1. 
His  walking  among  the  seven  golden  candlesticks  is  their 
best  security.  The  burning  bush  is  a  rare  emblem  to  open 
this  mystery ;  the  bush  burned  with  fire,  but  was  not  con- 
•^umed.  Exod.  3:3,  The  bush  was  a  resemblance  of  the 
church  of  God  ui  Egypt,  the  flames  upon  it  were  their  ter- 
rible persecution  ;  the  wonder,  that  no  ashes  appeared  as  the 
effects  of  those  terrible  flames  ;  the  reason  whereof  was,  God 
was  in  the  bush — Jesus  Christ  was  m  the  midst  of  his 
people. 

By  virtue  of  his  presence  we  are  here  this  day,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  gospel  liberty,  no  society  of  men  in  the  world 
have  such  security  as  the  church  has  on  this  account.  The 
mightiest  monarchies  have  been  overturned,  no  policies  nor 
human  power  could  preserve  them ,-  but  the  church  and 
ordinances  are  still  preserved,  and  shall  ever  be,  by  virtue  of 


CHRIST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  33 

that  gracious  promise,  "For  I  am  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord, 
to  save  thee  :  though  I  make  a  full  end  of  all  nations 
whither  I  have  scattered  thee,  yet  will  I  not  make  a  full 
end  of  thee."  Jer.  30  :  11.  Babylonian,  Persian,  and  Gre- 
cian monarchies  have  destroyed  and  ruined  one  another,  but 
still  the  church  of  Christ  lifts  up  its  head,  and  beholds  their 
ruins. 

2.  This  presence  of  Chj-ist  in  and  with  his  ordinances,  is 
undeniably  evinced  from  their  supeniatural  effects  iqjon  the 
souls  of  men.  "  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  car- 
nal, but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong 
holds."  2  Cor.  10:4.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  gives  them 
their  success  and  efficacy  ;  the  sword  of  the  gospel  has  its 
pomt  and  edge,  but  it  is  imj)ossible  that  the  heart  of  a  stupid, 
hardened  sinner  should  ever  be  wounded  by  it,  if  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  do  not  direct  it.  When  sinners  fall  down  convinced 
under  the  authority  of  the  word,  they  feel  and  readily  ac- 
knowledge that  God  is  in  it  of  a  truth.  1  Cor.  14  :  25. 
E,uffi.nus  reports,  that  at  the  council  of  Nice,  a  godly  man  of 
no  great  learning  was  the  instrument  of  converting  a  learned 
philosopher,  whom  the  bishops,  with  all  their  arguments, 
could  not  persuade  ;  of  which  the  philosopher  himself  gave 
this  remarkable  account:  "While  you  reasoned  with  me," 
said  he,  "against  words  I  opposed  words,  and  what  was 
spoken  I  overthrew  by  the  art  of  speaking ;  but  when  in- 
stead of  words  power  came  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  speaker, 
words  could  no  longer  withstand  truth,  nor  man  resist  the 
power  of  God." 

And  this,  indeed,  is  the  true  and  just  account  of  all  those 
marvellous  and  gracious  changes  made  on  the  souls  of  men 
'by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Can  the  vanishing  breath 
of  a  dying  man,  think  you,  inspire  spiritual  and  eternal  life 
into  the  souls  of  other  men  ?  Can  he  search  the  conscience, 
break  the  heart,  and  bow  the  will  at  this  rate  ?  No,  this  is 
the  power  and  operation  of  Christ ;  and  of  that  presence, 

2# 


34  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

says  Mr.  Burgess,  we  must  say  as  Martha  did  to  her  Saviour 
concerning  the  death  of  her  brother  Lazarus,  "  Lord,  if  thou 
hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  died."  John  11  :  21. 
So  say  I,  if  that  presence  and  power  of  Christ  were  felt  by 
all,  which  has  been  certainly  experienced  by  many,  they 
would  not  remain  in  the  state  of  spiritual  death  as  they  do. 
But  though  there  are  thousands  under  ordinances  who  never 
felt  this  power  of  Christ  upon  them,  yet,  blessed  be  God,  there 
are  also  multitudes  of  M'itnesses  and  evidences  of  this  truth, 
that  there  is  a  real,  spiritual,  energetic  presence  of  Christ 
in  his  oM'n  appointments ;  which  was  the  first  thing  to  be 
evinced. 

IL  We  inquire  into  the  reasons,  or  the  uses  and 
ENDS  which  make  such  a  presence  of  Christ  necessary. 
And  they  are, 

1 .  To  _2)?"ese7*rc  and  suj)2wrt  his  ministers  and  churches 
amidst  such  hosts  of  pou-ei'fid  and  enraged  enemies.  This 
presence  of  Christ  is  as  a  wall  of  fire  round  about  them. 
The  divine  presence  with  Jeremiah  was  as  a  life-guard  to 
him  against  the  rage  of  the  princes  and  nobles  of  Israel : 
"■  I  will  make  thee  unto  this  people  a  fenced  brazen  wall ; 
and  they  shall  fight  against  thee,  but  they  shall  not  prevail 
against  thee  :  for  I  am  with  thee  to  save  thee  and  to  deliver 
thee,  saith  the  Lord.  And  I  will  deliver  thee  out  of  the 
hand  of  the  wicked,  and  I  will  redeem  thee  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  terrible."     Jer.  15  :  20,  21. 

It  was  easier  for  the  Roman  army  to  scale  the  walls  and 
batter  down  the  towers  of  Jerusalem,  than  for  all  the  ene- 
mies in  that  city  to  destroy  the  prophet  of  God,  thus  guarded 
by  the  divine  presence.  Athaiiasius  and  Luther  had  the 
I  power  of  the  empire  engaged  against  them,  yet  the  presence 
I  of  Christ  was  their  security.  The  witnesses  could  not  be 
slain  till  they  had  finished  their  testimony.  Rev.  11:7. 
To  this  presence  alone  the  faithful  witnesses  of  Christ  owe 
their  marvellous  preservation  at  this  day;  had  not  Christ 


CHRIST  IN   HIS  ORDINANCES,  35 

said,  *'Lo,  I  am  with  you,"  you  had  not  said  at  this  day, 
"  Behold,  our  ministers  are  still  with  us." 

2.  The  presence  of  Christ  is  necessary  to  assist  his  min- 
isters hi  their  work,  for  it  is  a  work  quite  above  their  own 
strength.  It  is  well  that  we  are  workers  together  with  God, 
else  we  should  soon  faint  under  our  labors.  When  Moses 
objected,  ''  I  am  not  eloquent,"  the  Lord  told  him,  "  I  will  be 
with  thy  mouth."  Exod.  4  :  10,  12.  When  God  guides 
the  tongue,  how  powerful  and  persuasive  must  the  language 
be.  When  the  apostles,  illiterate  men,  were  sent  out  to 
convert  the  world,  Christ  promised  to  give  them  "  a  mouth 
and  wisdom,"  Luke  21  :  15— a  mouth  to  speak,  and  wisdom 
to  guide  that  mouth ;  and  then  their  words  were  demonstra- 
tions; all  their  adversaries  could  not  resist  the  spirit  and 
power  by  which  they  spoke.  Empires  and  kingdoms  full  of 
enemies  received  the  gospel ;  but  the  reason  of  this  wonder- 
ful success  is  given  us  :  *'  They  went  fojth  and  preached 
everywhere,  the  Lord  working  with  them."  Mark  16  :  20. 
It  is  sweet  and  prosperous  workmg  in  fellowship  with 
Christ ;  the  Spirit  of  Christ  gives  a  manifold  assistance  to 
his  minister.?  in  their  work  ;  it  is  he  who  directs  their  mind 
in  the  choice  of  those  subjects  wherein  they  labor  with  such 
success  to  their  hearers.  He  dictates  the  matter,  influences 
their  affections,  guides  their  lips,  and  follows  home  their 
doctrine  with  success.  This  is  a  special  use  and  end  of 
Christ's  presence  with  his  ministers  and  ordinances. 

3.  The  spiritual  presence  of  Christ  is  necessary  for  the 
'p-eparation  and  oj)e7iing  of  the  people's  heart  to  receive 
and  embrace  the  gospel  to  salvation.  Not  a  heart  will  open 
to  receive  Christ  till  the  Spirit  of  Christ  unlock  it.  Paul 
and  Timothy  were  extraordinarily  called  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel at  Philippi,  and  there  Lydia  was  converted.  But  how? 
Not  by  their  skill  or  eloquence,  but  by  the  Spirit's  influence ; 
the  Lord  opened  the  heart  of  Lydia.  Acts  16  :  14.  The 
church  could  not  be  increased  without  conversion ;  conver- 


36  CHRIST  JvNOCIvINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

sipn  could  never  be  wrought  without  Christ's  influence  and 
spiritual  presence.  So  that  this  presence  is  of  absolute 
necessit}'^ ;  the  church  cannot  subsist,  nor  the  great  ends  of 
ordinances  be  attained  without  it. 

Inference  1.  Is  Christ  really  present  in  all  gospel  ad- 
mhiistrations  ?  Jiow  atcfidly  solemn,  then,  is  every  jMrt  of 
gos^oel  ivorshi'p.  "We  have  to  do  with  Christ  himself,  and 
not  with  men  only,  in  gospel  ordinances.  Happy  were  it  if, 
under  this  consideration,  all  our  people  received  the  word  we 
preach  as  the  Thessalonians  did,  not  as  the  word  of  man 
but  as  the  word  of  God.  1  Thess.  2  :  13.  Then  it  would 
work  effectually  in  us  as  it  did  in  them.  But  alas,  we  have 
low  apprehensions  of  the  word  ;  we  come  to  judge  the  gifts 
of  the  speaker,  not  to  have  our  minds  informed,  our  con- 
sciences searched,  our  lusts  mortified,  and  our  lives  regu- 
lated. But  0  that  men  would  realize  the  presence  of 
Christ  in  ordinances,  and  seriously  consider  that  word  of  his, 
*'  All  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he  which  searcheth 
the  reins  and  hearts ;  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you 
according  to  your  works."     Rev.  2  :  23. 

How  would  this  lead  vain  and  wandering  hearts  to  holy 
seriousness.  0  if  men  would  consider  that  they  are  before 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  Cornelius  and  his  family  did: 
"Now  therefore  are  we  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear 
all  thmgs  that  are  commanded  thee  of  God,"  Acts  10  :  33  ;  if 
they  would  consider  the  word  as  the  executioner  of  God's 
eternal  decrees,  which  returns  not  in  vain,  but  accomplishes 
that  whereunto  God  sends  it,  Isa.  55  :  11,  and  eventually 
proves  the  savor  of  life  or  death  eternal  to  them  who  sit 
under  it,  2  Cor.  2:16;  in  a  word,  were  it  but  considered 
as  the  rule  by  which  its  hearers  shall  be  judged  in  the  great 
day,  John  12  :  48,  then  how  would  men  tremble  at  the 
word..  What  mighty  effects  would  it  have  on  their  hearts. 
How  would  it  run  and  be  glorified.  But  alas,  as  Job  speaks, 
*'  He  goeth  by  me,  and  I  see  him  not  :  he  passeth  on  also, 


CHEIST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  37 

but  I  perceive  him  not."  Job  9:11.  Few  realize  the 
spiritual  presence  of  Christ  in  ordinances. 

2.  If  Christ  be  really  present  with  his  churches  and 
ordinances,  lioiv  vain  are  all  attempts  of  etiemies  to  subvert 
and  destroy  them.  That  promise,  Matt.  28  :  20,  supposes 
the  continuance  of  a  gospel  and  church-mhiistry  to  the  end 
of  the  world,  else  there  would  be  a  promise  without  a  sub- 
ject: as  there  ought  to  be  a  church,  so  there  $1iall  be  a 
church  with  ministers  and  ordinances,  let  Satan  and  anti- 
christ do  their  worst.  I  do  not  say  this  promise  secures  this 
or  that  particular  church  or  nation,  for  the  presence  of  Christ 
may  cease  to  be  realized  in  any  one  place ;  but  still,  the 
church  is  safe.  And  there  are  three  things  which  secure  it 
against  all  hazards. 

(1.)  The  invaluable  treasures  God  has  lodged  in  the 
church,  namely,  his  truths,  his  worship,  and  his  elect ;  such 
a  precious  cargo  secures  the  vessel  which  carries  it,  what- 
ever storms  or  tempests  may  befall  it. 

(2.)  The  covenant  and  promise  of  God  with  tJie  church 
is  its  abundant  security :  "  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my 
church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it." 
Matt.  16:18.  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  pledged  for  his 
people's  security.  If  the  church  fail,  his  faithfulness  must 
fail  with  it. 

(3.)  But  above  all,  the  presence  of  Christ  in  the  midst 
of  the  church,  puts  it  out  of  all  danger  of  failure.  In  that 
promise,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,"  are  found  all  muni- 
tions and  fortifications  whatsoever.  Here  we  have  his  eye 
of  providence,  his  hand  of  power,  and  whatever  else  is  need- 
ful to  support  and  secure  it.  God  accounts  his  presence  our 
safety,  Isa.  41  :  10.  The  enemies  of  God  and  his  people, 
account  it  so  too,  Exod.  14  :  25  ;  and  shall  it  not  be  so  in 
our  account  ?  Provoke  not  the  Lord  Jesus  to  withdraw  his 
presence,  and  fear  not  the  consultations  and  oppositions  of 
hell  or  earth. 


38  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

3.  From  this  spiritual  presence  of  Christ  all  his  faithful 
ministers  should  draw  encauragement,  mnidst  the  manifold 
difficidties  and  discourageonents  they  daily  encounter  in 
his  service.  Christ  is  with  them,  and  they  work  in  fellow- 
ship with  him  ;  let  them  not  be  dismayed.  The  difficulties 
and  discouragements  which  the  ministers  of  Christ  meet 
are  great  and  manifold ;  and  the  more  faithful  and  success- 
ful any  of  them  are  in  their  Master's  work,  the  fiercer  oppo- 
sition they  must  expect.  Besides  all  the  discouragements 
rising  out  of  their  own  hearts,  which  are  not  a  few,  they 
must  encounter  the  opposition  of  enemies  from  abroad,  and 
the  stubbornness  of  the  hearts  they  work  upon.  Satan  is  a 
jealous  prince,  and  will  raise  all  manner  of  outcries  and 
opposition  against  those  heavenly  heralds  who  come  to  pro- 
claim a  new  prince  in  his  dominions,  and  withdraw  his  mis- 
erable subjects  from  their  cursed  allegiance  to  him.  What 
is  it  to  preach  the  gospel,  saith  Luther,  but  to  drive  the  fury 
of  the  world  upon  the  head  of  the  preacher  ?  But  this 
would  be  easily  supportable,  did  our  work  but  prosper  upon 
the  hearts  of  our  hearers.  But  this,  alas,  is  the  killing  con- 
sideration of  all ;  we  know  the  w^orth  of  souls,  and  how  great 
a  service  it  is  to  save  them  from  death.  James  5  :  20.  "We 
also  know  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  which  excite  our  utmost 
endeavors  to  persuade  men.  2  Cor.  5:11.  We  feel  the 
compassions  of  Christ  stirring  within  us,  which  makes  us 
long  after  their  salvation.  Phil.  1  :  8.  We  preach,  we 
pray,  yea,  we  travail  again,  as  it  were,  in  birth  until  Christ 
be  formed  in  them.  Gal.  4:19.  And  when  we  have  done 
all,  we  find  their  hearts  as  iron  and  brass.  Jer.  6  :  28. 
We  mourn  in  secret  when  we  cannot  prevail,  and  often  our 
hands  hang  down  with  discouragement,  and  we  are  ready  to 
say  with  the  prophet,  "  I  will  not  make  mention  of  him,  nor 
speak  any  more  in  his  name."  Jer.  20  :  9.  But  here  is 
our  relief,  under  all  discouragements :  the  work  is  Christ's, 
the  power  is  his,  he  is  with  us,  and  we  are  workers  together 


CHE.IST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  39 

with  him.  There  was  a  time  when  three  thousand  souls 
were  born  to  Christ  during  one  sermon ;  it  may  be  now,  three 
thousand  sermons  may  be  preached,  and  not  one  soul  be  con- 
verted :  yet,  let  us  not  be  discouraged ;  a  time  pf  eminent 
conversion  is  promised,  and  to  be  expected  in  these  latter  days, 
when  the  living  waters  of  the  gospel  shall  make  every  thing 
to  live  whither  they  come,  Ezek.  47  :  9  ;  and  when  the 
fishers,  that  is,  the  ministers  of  Christ,  shall  not  fish  with 
hooks  as  they  now  do,  taking  now  one,  then  another  single 
convert,  but  shall  spread  forth  their  nets,  and  inclose  multi- 
tudes at  a  draught — when  they  shall  "  fly  as  a  cloud,  and 
as  the  doves  to  their  windows."  Isa.  60  :  8.  God  now 
opens  a  door  of  opportunity  beyond  our  expectation  ;  0  that 
the  hearts  of  ministers  and  people  were  suitably  enlarged, 
and  the  people  made  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power. 

4,  Hence,  we  also  infer  the  great  dignity  of  the  minis 
terial  office,  and  the  suitable  respect  due  to  all  Christ's 

faithful  mijiisters.  The  Lord  Jesus  himself  is  represented 
by  them,  they  stand  in  his  stead,  2  Cor.  5  :  20  ;  his  author- 
ity is  put  upon  them  :  the  honor  and  dishonor  given  them 
redound  to  the  person  of  Christ.  The  G-alatians  received 
Paul  as  an  angel  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus.  Gal.  4  :  14. 
Yet  how  have  their  persons  and  office  been  vilified  and 
despised  in  this  degenerate  age ;  how  many  learned,  pious, 
laborious,  peaceful  ministers  of  Christ  have,  in  this  age,  been 
hunted  up  and  down  in  the  world  as  wild  beasts,  and  been 
made  the  filth  and  offscouring  of  all  things.  1  Cor.  4:13. 
The  word  signifies  the  filth  which  scavengers  rake  together 
in  the  streets,  to  be  carried  to  the  dunghill.  No  doubt  but 
Satan  designs  in  this  to  invalidate  their  ministry,  discourage 
their  labors,  and  break  their  hearts ;  but  Jesus  Christ  will 
support  us  under  all  these  abuses,  wipe  off  the  dirt  thrown 
at  us  for  his  name's  sake,  and  resen'^e  some  of  us  for  better 
days. 

5.  Is  Christ  present  in  his  ordinances  ?  ivhat  a  strong 


40  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE,. 

e7igagement  then  lies  wpoii  you  all  to  ivait  assiduously  upon 
the  tninistry  of  the  ivord,  and  to  hring  all  tliat  are  capable 
to  wait  upon  Christ  ivith  you.  We  read  in  the  days  of 
Christ's  flesh,  when  he  performed  his  miraculous  cures  upon 
the  sick,  what  thronging  there  was  after  him ;  how  parents 
brought  their  children,  masters  their  servants,  pressing  in 
multitudes,  uncovering  the  house  to  let  down  their  sick  to 
him.  Luke  5:19;  12:1.  Ah,  shall  men  be  so  earnest 
for  a  cure  for  their  bodies,  and  so  indifferent  for  their  souls  ? 
It  is  true,  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  not  laid  under  any  necessity 
to  act  always  with  the  word  :  he  acts  as  a  free  agent,  "  The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,"  John  3:8;  but  it  is  encour- 
agement enough  to  wait  continually  upon  his  ordinances, 
that  he  sometimes  graciously  and  effectually  works  with 
them.  It  is  good  to  lie  in  the  path  of  the  Spirit ;  and  there 
is  a  blessing  pronounced  upon  them  who  wait  continually  at 
his  gates.  Prov.  8  :  34.  0  therefore  neglect  no  opportunity 
within  your  reach  ;  for  who  knows  but  it  may  be  the  season 
of  life  to  thy  soul. 

6.  What  a?i  %inspeakdble  loss  is  the  loss  of  the  gospel, 
seeing  the  presence  of  Christ  conibs  and  goes  with  it.  When 
the  gospel  departs,  the  Spirit  of  Christ  departs  with  it  from 
among  men ;  no  more  conversions,  in  God's  ordinary  way, 
are  then  to  be  expected  :  well  therefore  might  the  Lord  say, 
"Woe  also  to  them  when  I  depart  from  them."  Hosea 
9  :  12.  The  Spirit  may,  in  some  sense,  depart,  while  the 
ordinances  are  left  standing  for  a  time  among  the  people  ; 
but  we  can  then  expect  no  benefit  from  them.  But  when 
God  takes  away  ordinances  and  the  Spirit  too,  woe  indeed 
to  that  people.  Where  then  are  the  fruits  answerable  to  our 
precious  means?  The  gospel  is  a  golden  lamp,  and  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit  communicated  by  it  are  golden  oil,  as  in 
that  stately  vision,  Zech.  4.  Will  God  maintain  such  a 
lamp,  fed  with  such  precious  oil,  for  men  to  trifle  and  play 
by  ?     And  no  less  ominous  and  portentous  is  that  bitter 


CHRIST  IN  HIS  ORDINANCES.  41 

enmity  to  the  gospel  and  the  serious  professors  of  it,  which 
is  too  often  found  among  us  ;  this  great  hatred  brings  on  the 
days  of  visitation  and  the  days  of  recompense  with  a  swift 
and  dreadful  motion  upon  any  people.     Hosea  9:7. 

7.  If  Christ  be  present  by  his  Spirit  and  energy  in  his 
ordinances,  there  is  no  reason  to  despair  of  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  the  greatest  sinners  that  yet  lie  dead  under 
the  gospel.  What  though  their  hearts  be  hard,  their  under- 
standings dark,  and  their  wills  never  so  perverse  and  obsti- 
nate ?  all  must  give  way,  and  open  in  the  day  of  Christ's 
power,  when  his  Spirit  joins  himself  with  the  word.  This 
makes  it  an  irresistible  word ;  it  is  glorious  to  observe  the 
hearts  of  publicans  and  harlots  opening  and  yielding  to  the 
voice  of  Christ.  Matt.  21  :31.  Who  were  those  three 
thousand  persons,  pricked  to  the  heart  by  Peter's  sermon, 
Acts  2  :  36,  but  the  very  men  that,  with  wicked  hands, 
had  crucified  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  And  what  were  the  con- 
verted Corinthians  but  idolaters,  turned  from  dumb  idols, 
whoremongers,  adulterers,  effeminate,  and  such  like  persons  ? 
1  Cor.  12  :  2  ;  6:11.  God  has  his  elect  among  the  vilest  of 
men :  the  gospel  will  find  them  out,  and  draw  them  home 
to  Christ,  when  the 'Spirit  animates  and  blesses  it.  Well 
might  the  apostle  therefore  say,  that  the  gospel  preached 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven,  is  an  object 
worthy  for  angels  to  behold  with  admiration.  1  Pet.  1:12. 
What  though  Satan  has  strongly  fortified  their  souls  against 
Christ  with  ignorance,  prejudice,  and  enmity,  the  weapons 
of  our  warfare  are  mighty  through  God,  to  pull  down  these 
strong  holds.  Despair  not  therefore  of  your  sinful  and  dead- 
hearted  relatives ;  bring  them  to  the  gospel  on  the  encour- 
agement of  these  words  of  Christ,  "  The  hour  is  coming,  and 
now  is,  Avhen  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God  ;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."     John  5  :  25. 

8.  Is  Christ  spiritually  present  in  his  ordinances  ?     0 
then  ichat  an  endeared  affection  should  every  gracious  soul 


42  CHRIST  IvNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE,. 

hear  to  the  ordinances  of  God.  They  are  the  walks  of 
'  Christ  and  of  his  Spirit,  the  appointed  times  and  places  for 
your  meeting  and  communion  with  him ;  there  your  souls 
first  met  with  Christ ;  there  you  began  your  acquaintance 
with  him  ;  there  you  have  had  many  sweet  interviews  with 
him  since  that  day ;  they  were  the  means  of  your  regenera- 
tion, 1  Pet.  1  :  23,  the  bread  of  hfe  by  which  your  souls  have 
been  sustained  ever  since,  and  therefore  to  be  more  esteemed 
by  you  than  your  necessary  food.  Job  23  :  12.  Here  you 
have  found  the  richest  cordials  to  revive  your  drooping 
spirits,  when  ready  to  faint  under  sin  within  you  and  afflic- 
tions upon  you.  No  wonder  David's  soul  even  fainted  for 
the  courts  of  God,  Psalm  84  :  2,  and  that  Hezekiah  desired  a 
sign  on  liis  sick-bed,  that  he  should  go  up  to  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  Isa.  38  :  22.  Here  are  the  choicest  comforts  of  the 
saints  upon  earth  ;  all  our  fresh  springs  are  in  Zion.  Psalm 
88  :  7.  What  a  dungeon,  what  a  barren  wilderness  were 
this  world  without  them.  Prize  the  ordinances,  love  the 
ordinances,  wait  assiduously  on  the  ordinances,  and  pray  for 
the  liberty  and  efficacy  of  the  gospel,  that  it  may  continue 
and  mcrease  in  your  days  and  in  the  days  of  your  posterity. 


I 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  43 

CHAPTER   III. 

THE   HEART   BARRED   AGAINST  CHRIST. 
"BEHOLD,  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  AND  KNOCK."    Rev.  3  :  20. 

Having  finished  Christ's  solemn  preface,  and  shown  the 
manner  of  his  presence  in  his  churches  and  ordinances,  I 
now  come  to  a  third  doctrine  which  is  necessarily  implied  in 
these  words,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock  ;"  and 
the  sad  truth  therein  implied  is  this : 

The  hearts  ofmeii  are  naturally  locked,  and  fast  barred 
against  Jesus  Christ  their  only  Saviour. 

If  it  were  not  so,  what  need  were  there  of  aU  the  pains 
and  patience  exercised  by  Christ  in  waiting  and  knocking 
importunately  for  entrance  into  the  hearts  of  men?  To 
keep  a  clear  method  in  this  point,  three  things  must  be 
stated  in  the  doctrinal  part :  How  it  appears  that  the  hearts 
of  men  are  thus  shut  up  ;  what  are  those  locks  and  bars  that 
shut  them  up  ;  and  that  no  power  of  man  can  remove  these 
bars.     Let  us  consider, 

I.  How  IT  APPEARS  that  the  hearts  of  men  are  thus  shut 
up.  That  all  hearts  are  naturally  shut  and  made  fast 
against  Christ,  is  a  sad  but  certain  truth;  we  read,  John 
1:11,  "  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him 
not."  He  came  unto  his  own  people,  from  whose  stock  he 
sprung — a  people  to  whom  he  had  been  prefigured  in  all  the 
sacrifices  and  types  of  the  law,  and  who  might  in  him  clearly 
discern  the  accomplishment  of  them  all.  His  doctrines  and 
his  miracles  plainly  told  them  who  he  was,  and  whence  he 
came  ;  yet  few  discerned  and  received  him  as  the  Son  of 
God.  Christ  found  the  doors  of  men's  hearts  generally  shut 
against  him,  save  only  a  few  whose  hearts  were  opened  by 
the  almighty  power  of  God,  in  the  way  of  faith.  John 
1  :  12.     These  indeed  received  him,  but  all  the  rest  exclu- 


44  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

ded  and  denied  entrance  to  the  Son  of  God.  So  again,  John 
5  :  33-40,  Christ  reasons  with  them,  and  gives  undeniable 
demonstrations  that  he  was  the  Messiah  come  to  save  them. 
He  proves  it  from  the  testimony  of  John,  verse  33,  "Ye 
sent  unto  John,  and  he  bare  witness  unto  the  truth ;"  he 
tells  them  the  design  of  his  coming  among  them  was  their 
salvation,  verse  34  ;  shows  them  the  great  seal  of  heaven, 
liis  uncontrollable  miracles,  verse  36,  "  The  works  that  I 
do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that  the  Father  hath  sent  me." 
And  if  that  were  not  enough,  he  reminds  them  of  the  imme- 
diate testimony  given  of  him  from  heaven,  "  The  Father 
himself  which  hath  sent  me,  hath  borne  witness  of  me."  He 
did  so  at  his  baptism  :  "  And  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  Matt. 
3  :  17.  And  so  again  at  his  transfiguration  on  the  holy 
mount,  "  While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  a  bright  cloud  over- 
shadowed them  :  and  behold,  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which 
said,  This  is  iny  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased ; 
hear  ye  him."  Matt.  17  :  5.  He  bids  them  search  the 
Scriptures,  and  critically  examine  his  perfect  correspondence 
with  them.  John  5  :  39.  This  was  enough,  one  would 
think,  to  open  the  door  of  every  man's  understanding  and 
heart  to  receive  him  with  full  satisfaction  ;  and  yet,  after 
all,  behold  the  unreasonable  obstinacy  and  resistance  of  their 
hearts  against  him  :  "Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
have  hfe."     Ver.  40. 

Not  a  soul  will  open,  with  all  the  reasons  and  demon- 
strations in  the  world,  till  the  almighty  power  of  God  be  put 
forth  to  that  end.  "  If  another  come  in  his  own  name," 
saith  he,  verse  43,  '' hwi  will  ye  receive;''  any  one  rather 
than  the  Son  of  God.  Every  impostor  can  easily  deceive 
you ;  it  is  to  me  only  your  hearts  have  such  a  strong  aver- 
sion. Now  there  is  a  twofold  shutting  up  of  the  heart  against 
Jesus  Christ. 

1.  Natural.     Every  soul  comes  into  this  world  shut  up 


THE   HEART   CLOSED.  45 

and  fast  closed  against  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  will  of  man, 
which  is  the  freest  faculty,  comes  into  the  world  barred  and 
bolted  against  Christ.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be."  Rom.  8:7.  "  It  is  God  which  worketh  in  you 
both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  Phil.  2  :  13. 
This  is  a  dismal  efiect  of  the  fall.  Who  does  not  feel  strong 
aversions  and  obstinate  resistances  in  his  own  heart,  when 
moving  towards  Christ  in  the  first  weak  and  trembling  acts 
of  faith  ? 

2.  There  is  a  judicial  shutting  up  of  the  heart  against 
Christ.  This  is  a  sore  and  tremendous  stroke  of  God,  pun- 
ishing former  rebellions  :  "  Israel  would  none  of  me,  so  I 
gave  them  up  unto  their  own  hearts'  lusts."  Psalm 
81  :  11,  12.  This  looks  like  a  prelude  of  damnation,  a  very 
near  preparation  to  ruin.  "  Israel  would  none  of  me  ;" 
there  is  the  natural  shutting  up  of  the  heart  :  "  so  I  gave 
them  up  ;"  there  is  the  judicial  shutting  up  of  the  heart : 
they  would  not  hear,  they  shall  not  hear.  0  fearful  judg- 
ment I  Thus  the  Lord  gave  up  the  heathen,  Rom.  1  :  26  ; 
they  had  abused  their  natural  light,  and  now  their  minds 
are  judicially  darkened  ;  given  up  to  a  sottish  and  injudi- 
cious mind,  not  able  to  distinguish  duty  from  sin,  safety  from 
danger — a  mind  that  should  choose  the  worst  things,  and 
reject  the  best.  This  was  the  reprobate  mind  unto  which 
God  gave  them  up  ;  what  sadder  word  can  the  Lord  speak 
than  this,  unless  it  be,  "  Take  him,  Satan  I"  It  is  true, 
those  whom  God  shuts  up  he  can  open,  and  those  Avhom 
justice  shuts  up,  mercy  can  set  free  ;  but  it  is  beyond  all  the 
power  of  angels  and  men  to  do  it.  "  He  shutteth  up  a  man, 
and  there  can  be  no  opening."  Job  12  :  14.  These  two 
closings  of  the  heart  are  not  always  found  together  in  the 
same  person  ;  and  blessed  be  God  that  they  are  not.  Christ 
meets  with  many  a  repulse,  and  endures  with  much  pa- 
tience the  gainsaying  of  sinners,  before  he  pronounces  the 


46  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

dreadful  sentence  upon  them,  "  Go,  and  tell  this  people,  hear 
ye  indeed,  but  understand  not ;  and  see  ye  indeed,  but  per- 
ceive not.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  make 
their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes  ;  lest  they  see  with 
their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with 
their  heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed."     Isa.  6  :  9,  10. 

But  when  it  comes  to  this,  dreadful  is  the  case  of  such 
souls  ;  and  none  are  in  greater  danger  of  this  judicial  stroke 
of  God,  than  those  who  have  sat  long  under  the  light,  re- 
belling against  it.  That  is  the  first  thing,  the  hearts  of  men 
by  nature  are  locked  and  shut  up  against  Christ. 

11.  Let  us  examine  what  those  locks  and  bars  are, 
which  oppose  and  forbid  Christ's  entrance  into  the  hearts 
of  sinners.  And  they  will  be  found  to  be,  ignorance,  unbe- 
lief, pride,  custom  in  sin,  presumption,  and  prejudices  against 
the  ways  of  holiness.  Bars  enough  to  secure  the  soul  in 
Satan's  possession,  and  frustrate  all  the  designs  of  mercy, 
except  an  almighty  Power  from  heaven  break  them  asunder. 

1.  The  first  bar  making  fast  the  soul  of  man  against 
Christ,  is  ignorance.  If  knowledge  is  a  key  that  opens  the 
heart  to  Christ,  as  is  plain  from  Luke  11  :  52,  where  Christ 
denounceth  a  woe  on  them  that  took  away  "  the  key  of 
knowledge,"  then  ignorance  must  needs  be  the  lock  that 
makes  fast  the  door  of  the  heart  against  Christ.  On  this 
ground  Christ  told  the  woman  of  Samaria,  that  her  unbe- 
lief grew  upon  the  root  of  her  ignorance.  "  If  thou  knewest 
the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  me  to 
drink,  thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  him  and  he  would  have 
given  thee  living  water."  John  4:10.  Ah,  sinners,  did 
you  but  know  what  a  Christ  he  is  that  is  offered  to  your 
souls  in  the  gospel ;  did  you  see  his  beauty,  fulness,  and 
suitableness,  and  feel  your  own  need  of  him,  all  the  world 
could  not  keep  you  from  him :  you  would  break  through  all 
reproaches,  all  sufferings,  all  self-denials,  to  come  to  the 
enjoyment  of  him.      But  alas,  it  is  with    you   as  it  was 


THE  HEART  CLOSED.  47 

with  those  who  said  to  the  church,  "  What  is  thy  beloved 
more  than  another  beloved,  that  thou  dost  so  charge  us?" 
Sol.  Songs,  5:9.  Unknown  excellences  attract  not:  igno- 
rance is  Satan's  sceptre  which  he  sways  over  all  his  king- 
dom of  darkness,  and  by  which  he  holds  his  vassals  in  mis- 
erable bondage  to  him;  hence  the  devils  are  called,  "The 
rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world."  Eph.  6:12.  Alas, 
were  the  eyes  of  sinners  opened  to  see  their  woful  state  and 
their  remedy  in  Christ,  he  could  never  hold  them  in  sub- 
jection one  day  longer  ;  they  would  break  away  from  under, 
his  cruel  government  and  run  by  thousands  to  Christ ;  for 
so  they  do  as  soon  as  God  opens  their  eyes  :  in  the  same 
houx  that  they  are  "turned  from  darkness  to  light,"  they 
are  also  turned  "  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God."  Acts 
26  :  16.  0  that  you  did  but  know  the  worth  of  your  souls, 
the  dreadful  danger  they  are  in,  and  the  fearful  wrath  that 
hangs  over  them,  with  the  wilhngness  and  ability  of  Christ 
to  save  them  ;  you  could  not  sleep  one  night  longer  in  the 
state  you  are  :  your  next  cry  would  be,  "  What  shall  I  do  to 
be  saved  ?"  Who  vsdll  show  me  the  way  to  Christ  ?  Help, 
ministers  I  help.  Christians  I  yea,  help.  Lord  !  These  would 
be  the  lamentations  and  cries  of  those  who  are  now  se- 
cure and  quiet.  But  "  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded 
the  eyes  of  them  which  believe  not,"  2  Cor.  4:4:  no  cries 
for  a  physician,  because  they  have  no  consciousness  how 
their  souls  are  wounded  by  sins  of  commission  and  by  sins  of 
omission.  0  that  the  great  Physician  would  apply  his  excel- 
lent eye-salve  to  your  understandings,  which  are  yet  dark- 
ened with  gross  ignorance  both  of  your  misery  and  remedy. 

2.  The  second  bar  or  lock  which  shuts  Christ  out  of 
men's  souls,  is  the  sin  of  unbelief.  This  is  one  of  the 
strongest  holds  of  Satan  wherein  he  trusteth ;  this  is  a  sin 
that  not  only  locks  up  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  but  also  binds 
up  the  hand  of  a  Saviour.  "  He  did  not  many  mighty 
works  there,  because  of  their  unbelief."     Matt.  13  :  5^. 


48  CHRIST  KKOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Unbelief  obstructed  his  miraculous  works  when  he  was 
on  earth,  and  it  obstructs  his  gracious  work  now  he  is  in 
heaven,  A  Saviour  is  come  into  the  world,  but,  poor  unbe- 
hever,  thy  soul  can  neither  have  union  nor  communion  with 
him  till  this  bar  of  thy  unbelief  be  removed.  The  gospel  is 
come  among  us  with  mighty  arguments  to  convince  and 
powerful  motives  to  persuade,  but  little  saving  effect  fol- 
lows :  its  main  design  is  to  many  frustrated,  and  all  this 
through  unbehef,  shutting  up  and  hardening  men's  hearts 
under  it.  "  The  word  preached  did  not  profit  them,  not 
being  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  heard  it."  Heb.  4  :  2. 
Ah,  cursed  bar  I  vdiich  shuts  up  thy  heart,  shuts  out  thy 
Saviour,  and  will  effectually  shut  thee  out  of  heaven,  ex- 
cept the  almighty  power  of  God  break  it  asunder.  They 
could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief.  Heb.  4:6.  The 
ruin  of  souls  is  laid  at  the  door  of  unbelief ;  it  is  the  damn- 
ing sin,  Mark  16  :  16,  and  truly  called  so,  because  no  other 
sin  could  condemn  but  in  virtue  of  this  sin. 

3.  The  third  bar  denying  entrance  to  Christ  into  the 
hearts  of  sinners,  is  lyride  and  stoutness  of  spirit.  The 
natural  heart  is  a  proud  heart ;  it  lives  upon  its  owti  stock, 
it  cannot  stoop  to  a  sincere  and  univei-sal  renunciation  of  its 
own  righteousness  :  "  Being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness, 
and  going  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  they 
have  not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God." 
Rom.  10:3.  Pride  stiffens  the  will  that  it  cannot  stoop  or 
condescend  to  declare  their  own  emptiness,  discover  their 
own  shame,  and  live*  wholly  upon  the  righteousness  of  an- 
other. Proud  nature  chooses  the  way  of  destruction,  rather 
than  to  deny  itself  in  such  a  point  as  this.  This  makes 
faith  so  exceedingly  difficult,  because  it  involves  such  deep 
points  of  self-denial  in  it.  To  give  up  all  to  Christ,  to  draw 
all  from  Christ,  and  to  be  willing  to  part  with  all  for  Christ — 
what  will  can  be  brought  to  a  deliberate  consent  to  such 
things  as  these,  unless  an  omnipotent  power  bow  it  ?     It  is 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  49 

natural  to  men  rather  to  eat  a  brown  crust,  or  wear  a  coarse, 
ragged  garment  which  they  can  call  their  own,  than  to  feed 
on  the  richest  dainties,  or  wear  the  costliest  garments  which 
they  must  receive  as  alms  or  a  gift  from  another.  0  how 
hard  is  it  to  subdue  this  pride  of  the  heart,  even  after-  light 
and  convictions  are  come  into  the  soul — to  convince  men  of 
their  undone  condition,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  another 
and  higher  righteousness  than  their  own.  When  souls  are 
in  treaty  with  Christ,  this  sin  makes  the  last  opposition. 
Fain  would  they  come  to  Christ,  ten  thousand  worlds  for 
Christ ;  but  they  think  they  must  not  approach  him  without 
some  qualifications  which  are  yet  wanting.  But,  soul,  if 
ever  Christ  and  thou  conclude  a  union,  thou  must  deny 
self  even  in  this  the  most  refined  form  of  it,  and  come  as 
Abraham  did,  naked  and  empty-handed,  to  Him  who  justi- 
fieth  the  ungodly.  Down  with  this  house-idol,  thy  self,  thy 
righteous  self,  dressed  up,  like  another  Agag,  with  such  spe- 
cious pretences  of  humility. 

4.  The  fourth  bar  forbidding  Clu'ist's  entrance  into  the 
soul,  is  custcnn  in  sin.  Sin  has  so  fixed  itself  by  long  con- 
tinuance in  the  soul,  and  the  soul  is  so  settled  and  confirmed 
in  its  course,  that  all  arguments  and  persuasions  to  change 
our  path  are  swept  away  by  the  power  of  custom,  as  straws 
and  feathers  are  by  the  rapid  course  of  a  mighty  torrent. 
"Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his 
spots  ?  then  may  ye  also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed  to  do 
evil."  Jer.  13  :  23.  Soap  and  nitre  may  as  soon  make  an 
Ethiopian  white,  or  take  the  spots  out  of  the  leopard's  skin, 
as  the  reasonings  of  men  remove  the  mighty  power  of  cus- 
tomary sin.  Physicians  find  it  a  hard  thing  to  cure  an  ill 
habit  of  body.  It  is  a  great  matter  to  be  accustomed  this 
way  or  that  from  our  childhood  ;  every  repeated  act  of  sin 
confirms  and  strengthens  the  habit ;  and  hence  it  is  that  we 
see  so  few  conversions  in  old  age.  It  was  a  wonder  in  the 
primitive   times,    that   Marcus    Caius  Victorius    embraced 

Christ  Knocking.  3 


00  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE. 

Christianity  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  his  age.  Take  an  habit- 
ual drunkard,  a  self-righteous  moralist,  and  lay  before  them 
the  necessity  of  a  change,  and  you  will  find  it  as  easy  to  stop 
the  course  of  a  river  with  the  breath  of  your  mouth,  as  to 
stop  them  in  an  accustomed  course  of  simiing. 

5.  The  fifth  bar  resisting  Christ's  entrance  into  the 
soul,  is  the  sin  of  iiresumption :  this  sin  parts  Christ  and 
thousands  of  souls  in  the  world  ;  presuming,  they  hope  ;  and 
hoping,  they  perish.  When  men  presume  that  their  condi- 
tion is  safe  already,  their  souls  never  go  out  after  a  Saviour. 
This  was  the  ruin  of  Laodicea  :  "  Because  thou  say  est,  I 
am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  noth- 
incf ;  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  misera- 
ble,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  E.ev.  3:17.  This 
damning  presumption  is  discovered  in  three  things  :  1 .  Many 
think  they  have  that  grace  which  they  have  not,  mistaking 
the  similar  for  the  saving  works  of  the  Spirit ;  a  fatal  mis- 
take, never  rectified  with  many  thousands  till  it  be  too  late. 
2.  They  presume  to  find  that  mercy  in  God,  which  they 
will  never  find  ;  for  all  the  saving  mercies  of  God  are  dis- 
pensed to  men  through  Christ,  in  the  way  of  regeneration 
and  faith.  Jude,  ver.  21.  3.  They  presume  upon  the  time 
for  repentance  and  faith  hereafter,  which  their  eyes  shall 
never  see.  And  thus  presumption  locks  up  the  heart 
against  Christ,  and  leaves  sinners  perishing  even  in  the 
presence  of  a  Saviour.  They  make  a  bridge  of  their  own 
shadow,  and  so  perish  in  the  waters. 

6.  The  sixth  and  last  sin  barring  the  heart  against 
Christ,  is  a  strong  irrejudice  against  holiness,  and  the 
strict  duties  of  rehgion.  Thus,  in  the  very  infancy  of  Chris- 
tianity, the  world  was  driven  ofi'  from  religion  by  the  com- 
mon prejudices  which  lay  upon  the  professors  of  it :  "As 
concerning  this  sect,  we  know  that  everywhere  it  is  spoken 
against."     Acts  28  :  22. 

Thus   Justin   Martyr  complains  that    Christians  were 


THE  HEART  CLOSED.  51 

everywhere  condemned  by  common  fame  ;  and  on  this  account 
Christ  pronounces  a  woe  upon  the  world,  because  of  ofiences. 
Matt.  18  :  7.  Alas,  it  will  be  the  ruin  of  thousands;  some 
have  imbibed  such  prejudiced  opinions  and  unjust  notions  of 
religion  and  its  professors,  as  to  make  them  iiTcconcilable 
enemies  to  it.  Satan  has  dressed  it  up  in  their  fancies  in 
such  an  odious  form,  as  to  make  them  loathe  both  the  name 
and  the  thing.  These  prejudices  are  drawn  from  various 
things  ;  sometimes  from  the  necessary  duties  of  Christianity, 
which  are  laid  as  crimes  on  the  people  of  God  :  "  When  I 
wept,  and  chastened  my  soul  with  fasting,  that  was  to  my 
reproach."  Psalm  69  :  10.  Sometimes  the  groundless  and 
malicious  slanders  and  inventions  of  the  enemies  of  Chris- 
tianity are  the  occasion  of  real  prejudices  to  the  world : 
"  Come,  and  let  us  devise  devices  against  Jeremiah,  and  let 
us  smite  him  with  the  tongue."  Jer.  18  :  18.  Sometimes 
innocent  and  serious  professors  of  godliness  are  censured  and 
condemned  on  account  of  hypocritical  professors,  who  never 
heartily  espoused  religion.  And  lastly,  the  ways  of  holiness 
suffer  from  the  infirmities  of  weak  Christians,  who  give  too 
many  occasions  to  prejudice  the  world  against  the  ways  of 
God. 

By  these  things  multitudes  are  kept  from  attendance  on 
the  means  of  grace,  and  multitudes  more  have  their  hearts 
shut  up  from  receiving  any  saving  benefit  under  them. 

These  are  the  common  bars  and  locks  by  which  the 
strong  man  armed  secures  his  possession  in  the  souls  of  sin- 
ners ;  and, 

III.  These  bars  are  too  strong  for  any  but  the  almighty 
POWER  OF  GOD  to  removc  or  break.  It  is  said  that  the  Lord 
opened  a  door  of  faith  to  the  Gentiles.  Acts  14  :  27.  The 
arm  of  the  Lord  must  be  revealed,  or  none  will  open  to 
Christ  by  faith.     Isa.  53  :  1. 

1.  The  iron  bar  oi  the  divine  law,  that  thundering,  ter- 
rible law,  cannot  force  open  the  heart  of  an  unbeliever ;  all 


/»2  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

the  dreadful  curses  flying  out  of  its  fiery  mouth,  make  no 
more  impression  than  a  tennis-ball  against  a  wall  of  mar- 
ble. You  read  of  them  who  hear  the  words  of  this  curse, 
yet  bless  themselves  in  their  heart,  saying,  they  shall  have 
peace,  though  they  walk  in  the  imaginations  of  their  hearts, 
to  add  drunkenness  to  thhst.    Deut.  29  :  19. 

They  play  with  hell  and  eternal  torments,  rush  into 
iniquity  as  the  horse  rusheth  into  the  battle,  act  as  men  in 
love  with  their  own  death,  and  as  those  who  are  at  an 
agreement  with  hell.  0  the  besotting,  hardening,  infatu- 
ating power  of  sin  I 

2.  The  golden  key  oi free-grace  cannot,  in  itself,  remove 
these  bars  and  open  men's  hearts  to  Christ :  "  "We  have 
piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced."  Matt.  11  :  17. 
The  melodious  sounds  of  grace,  mercy,  peace,  and  pardon, 
affect  not  the  dead  hearts  of  unbelievers  :  like  deaf  adders, 
they  stop  their  ears  at  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  charm  he 
never  so  wisely.  These  gospel  melodies  only  dispose  them 
to  a  more  quiet  sleep  in  sin. 

3.  No  u'orks  of  iirovidejice  are  in  themselves  sufficient 
to  open  the  hearts  of  men  to  Christ. 

The  judgments,  of  God  cannot  do  it ;  thousands  have 
been  sick  with  smiting,  that  yet  cannot  be  made  sick  for 
sin.  "  Thou  hast  consumed  them,  but  they  have  refused 
to  receive  correction  :  they  have  made  their  faces  harder 
than  a  rock  ;  they  have  refused  to  return."  Jer.  5  :  3.  Mes- 
sengers of  judgment  are  abroad,  smiting  some  in  their  es- 
tates, scattering  in  one  day  the  labor  of  many  years  ;  and 
therein  giving  a  warning  to  the  conscience  to  make  sure  of 
Christ  and  the  world  to  come,  since  their  comfort  and  hap- 
piness are  scattered  in  this  world.  Some  are  smitten  in 
their  dearest  relatives ;  death  knocks  at  their  door,  and  car- 
ries out  the  delight  of  their  eyes,  and  admonishes  their  souls 
to  place  their  happiness  in  more  durable  comforts :  some 
are  smitten  with  disease,  giving  warning  of  the  near  ap- 


THE   HEART   CLOSED.  53 

proacli  of  their  latter  end,   and  bidding  them  prepare  for 
another  habitation  ;  but  all  in  vain. 

No  mercies  of  God  are  in  themselves  sufficient  to 
open  the  obdurate  hearts  of  sinners  to  Christ.  God  has 
heaped  up  mercies  by  multitudes  upon  many  of  you  ;  all 
these  mercies  of  God  should  lead  you  to  repentance.  Rom. 
2:4.  They  take  you  in  a  friendly  way  by  the  hand,  and 
thus  talk  wdth  you  :  "  Ah,  sinner,  how  canst  thou  grieve 
and  dishonor  the  God  who  thus  feedeth,  clotheth,  and  com- 
forteth  thee  on  every  side  ?  Do  you  thus  requite  the  Lord, 
0  foolish  people  and  unwise  ?"  Yet  all  will  not  do,  neither 
judgments  nor  mercies  can  fright  or  allure  the  carnal  heart 
to  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  his  Spirit,  his  almighty  power  alone, 
that  opens  these  everlasting  gates,  and  makes  these  strong 
bars  give  way  and  fly  at  his  voice. 

Inference  1 .  Behold  here  the  dismal  state  of  nature, 
and  the  ivofid  condition  of  all  unregenerate  soids  ;  Christ 
the  Redeemer  shut  out,  sin  and  Satan  shut  in.  This  is  the 
horrid  state  of  nature  shut  up  in  unbelief.  Rom.  11  :  32. 
Ah,  Lord,  what  a  condition  is  this  ;  we  should  certainly  ac- 
count it  an  unspeakable  misery  to  be  shut  up  in  a  house 
haunted  by  the  devil,  where  we  should  be  continually 
frightened  with  dreadful  noises  and  apparitions  ;  but  alas, 
what  is  an  apparition  of  the  devil  without  us,  to  the  inhab- 
itation of  the  devil  within  us  ?  Nay,  what  is  the  possession 
of  a  body,  to  Satan's  possession  of  the  soul  ?  Yet  this  is 
the  very  case  of  the  unregenerate.  Luke  11  :  21.  The 
strong  man  armed  keepeth  the  palace,  till  Christ  dispossesses 
him  by  sovereign  victorious  grace.  Poor  wretch,  canst  thou 
start  at  a  supposed  vision  of  a  spirit,  and  not  tremble  to 
think  that  thy  soul  is  the  habitation  of  devils  ?  There  is  a 
twofold  misery  lying  upon  all  Christless,  unregenerated  per 
sons. 

Satan  is  their  rider  in  this  world,  "the  spirit  that 
now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience."     Eph.  2  :  2. 


54  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

As  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  dwells  and  rules  in  sanctified 
souls,  walks  ill  them  as  in  hallowed  temples,  guiding  and 
comforting  them  ;  so  Satan  dwells  in  unregenerate  hearts, 
inflaming  them  with  his  temptations,  and  using  their  facul- 
ties and  members  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness.  And 
then, 

He  will  be  their  tormentor  in  the  world  to  come  :  he 
that  tempts  now,  will  torment  then.  "  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  liis 
angels."  Matt.  25  :  41.  Flee,  therefore,  and  escape  for  your 
lives,  sleep  not  quietly  another  night  in  so  dismal  and  dread- 
ful a  state.  "  If  the  Son  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  in- 
deed."    John  8  : 36. 

2.  What  a  glorious  tuork  of  sovereign,  omnipotent 
grace  is  the  effectual  conversion  of  a  sinner  unto  God.  If 
every  heart  by  nature  be  secured  for  Satan  under  so  many 
locks  and  bars,  the  opening  of  any  heart  to  Christ  is  deserv- 
edly marvellous  in  our  eyes.  You  all  acknowledge  that  the 
opening  of  the  graves  at  the  resurrection  will  be  a  glorious 
display  of  Almighty  power,  and  so  it  will :  it  will  be  a  won- 
derful thing  to  see  the  graves  opened  and  the  dead  raised  at 
the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  the  trump  of  God ;  but  give 
me  leave  to  say  that  the  opening  of  thy  heart,  poor  sinner, 
to  receive  Christ,  is  a  more  glorious  work  than  that  of  rais- 
ing the  dead ;  it  is  therefore  deservedly  put  in  the  first  rank 
of  the  great  mysteries  of  godliness,  that  Christ  is  "believed 
on  in  the  world."  1  Tim.  3:16.  He  that  well  considers 
Christ,  may  justly  wonder  that  all  the  hearts  in  the  enlight- 
ened world  do  not  stand  wide  open  to  embrace  him  ;  yet  he 
that  shall  consider  the  frame  and  temper  of  the  natural 
heart,  and  how  strongly  Satan  has  intrenched  and  fortified 
himself  in  it,  may  justly  wonder  to  hear  of  a  work  of  conver- 
sion in  an  age.  0  brethren,  consider  the  marvels  of  conver- 
sion, the  wonderful  works  of  God  upon  the  soul  that  opens 
unto  Christ  by  faith. 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  55 

There  is  a  tieio  eye  created  in  the  mind:  "The  Son 
of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding,  that 
we  may  know  him  that  is  true."  1  John,  5  :  20.  0  that 
precious  eye  of  faith,  which  shows  the  soul  as  it  were  a  new 
world,  a  world  of  new  and  ravishing  objects.  Eph.  5  :  8. 
All  the  angels  in  heaven,  all  the  ministers  and  libraries  upon 
earth,  cannot  create  such  an  eye  and  give  such  an  illumina- 
tion; it  is  only  He  who  "  commanded  the  hght  to  shine  out 
of  darkness,  that"  thus  "shineth  in  our  "hearts,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."     2  Cor.  4  :  6. 

And  what  a  glorious  supernatural  work  is  the  convic- 
tion of  the  conscience  by  the  saving  beams  of  light  upon 
it.  Now  the  conscience,  which  lay  in  a  dead  sleep,  begins 
to  startle  and  look  about  it  with  fear  and  horror.  Life  and 
feehng  have  got  into  it,  and  now  it  cries,  "  Ah,  sick,  sick  at 
the  heart  for  sin,  sick  for  a  Saviour." 

And  no  less  marvellous  an  effect  of  the  Almighty  pow- 
er is  the  boiving  of  the  stubborn  will  so  efficaciously,  so 
congruously,  and  so  determinately  and  fixedly  to  the  Lord 
Jesus.  The  will  is  efficaciously  determined,  so  as  no  power 
of  hell  or  nature  can  resist  or  frustrate  that  mighty  power 
which  worketh  effectually  in  all  them  that  believe.  1  Thess. 
2  :  13.  Yet  it  works  not  by  way  of  compulsion,  but  in  har- 
mony with  and  agreeably  to  the  nature  of  the  will  :  "I 
drew  them  with  cords  of  a  man,  with  bands  of  love."  Hosea 
11:4.  Satan  bids  for  the  soul,  but  Christ  infinitely  outbids 
all  his  offers  ;  eternal,  spiritual,  and  unsearchable  riches,  in- 
stead of  sensual,  perishing  enjoyments,  which  determine  the 
choice  of  the  will  in  its  own  natural  method,  by  the  sight  of 
the  excelhng  glory  of  spiritual  things.  And  thus  the  mighty, 
supernatural  power  of  God  opens  the  heart  which  Satan  had 
secured  so  many  ways  against  Christ. 

3.  Hence  it  also  follows,  that  man  has  no  luill  of  his 
oion  to  supernatural  good.     The  will  cannot,  by  its  own 


56  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

power,  open  itself  to  receive  Christ  by  faith.  When  it  does 
open  to  him,  it  is  not  by  its  natural  power,  but  by  the  power 
of  God  upon  it.  The  admirers  of  nature  talk  much  of  the 
sovereignty  of  the  will,  as  if  it  alone  had  escaped  the  fall, 
and  that  no  more  than  moral  suasion  is  needed  to  open  it  to 
Christ ;  that  is,  that  God  needs  do  no  more  to  save  men  than 
the  devil  does  to  damn  them.  But  if  ever  God  makes  you 
sensible  what  the  work  of  saving  conversion  is,  you  will 
quickly  find  that  your  will  is  lame  to  spiritual  things  ;  you 
will  cry  out  of  a  wounded  will,  as  well  as  of  a  dark  head 
and  a  hard  heart.  You  will  quickly  find  that  "  it  is  God 
which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  own  good 
pleasure."  Phil.  2:13.  The  birth  of  the  new  creature  is 
not  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.     John  1:13. 

4.  Learn,  hence,  the  necessity  of  conversion  in  order  to 
salvation.  Christ  and  heaven  are  shut  up  against  you  till 
your  hearts  are  savingly  opened  unto  him.  "Marvel  not 
that  I  said  unto  thee,  ye  must  be  born  again."  John  3  :  7. 
0  sinner,  that  hard  heart  of  thine  must  be  humbled  ;  thy 
stubborn  and  refractory  will  must  be  bowed  ;  all  the  powers 
of  thy  soul  must  be  unlocked  and  opened  to  Christ ;  he  must 
come  into  thy  soul,  or  thou  canst  never  see  the  face  of  God 
in  peace.  It  is  Christ  in  you  that  is  "  the  hope  of  glory." 
Col.  1  :  27.  Till  thy  heart  is  opened,  Christ,  with  all  the 
hopes  of  glory,  stands  without  thee.  If  hope  from  the  death 
of  Christ,  without  the  application  of  his  Spirit,  be  enough  to 
save  men,  then  why  are  any  damned  ?  See  1  Cor.  1  :  30. 
Adam's  sin  damns  none  but  only  such  as  are  in  him  ;  and 
Christ's  righteousness  saves  none  but  those  that  are  by  faith 
in  him :  the  eternal  purpose  of  the  Father,  the  meritorious 
death  of  the  Son,  put  no  man  into  the  state  of  salvation  and 
happiness  till  both  are  brought  home  by  the  Spirit's  powerful 
application  in  the  work  of  saving  conversion.  It  is  good 
news  indeed,  that  Christ  died  for  sinners  ;  it  is  good  news 
that  Christ  is  brought  to  our  veiy  doors  in  the  tenders  of  the 


THE    HEART  CLOSED.  57 

gospel,  and  that  the  Spirit  knocks  at  the  door  of  our  hearts, 
by  many  convictions  and  persuasions  to  open  to  him  and 
enjoy  the  unspeakable  benefits  of  his  death  :  these  things 
bring  us  nigh  to  Christ  and  salvation  ;  and  yet  all  this  may 
be,  eventually,  but  a  dreadful  aggravation  of  our  damna- 
tion, and  will  certainly  be  so  to  them  whose  hearts  are  but 
ahiiost  opened  to  Christ. 

5.  See,  hence,  the  necessity  of  fervent  prayer  to  accom- 
pany the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Without  the  Spirit  and 
power  of  God  accompanying  the  word,  no  heart  can  ever  be 
opened  to  Christ :  alas,  such  bars  as  these  are  too  strong  for 
the  breath  of  man  to  break ;  let  ministers  pray,  and  the 
people  pray,  that  the  gospel  may  be  preached  "with  the 
Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven."  1  Pet.  1  :  12.  It 
greatly  concerns  us  who  preach  the  gospel,  to  wrestle  with 
God  upon  our  knees  for  help  in  the  dispensation  of  it  unto 
the  people — to  steep  that  seed  we  sow  among  you  in  tears 
and  prayers  before  you  hear  it.  And  I  beseech  you,  breth- 
ren, let  us  not  strive  alone  ;  join  your  cries  to  heaven  with 
ours,  for  the  blessing  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  v7ord.  How 
does  Paul  beg  of  the  people,  as  a  beggar  would  for  alms,  for 
their  assistance  in  prayer:  "I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit, 
that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers  to  God  for 
me."     Rom.  15  :  30. 

For  want  of  such  wrestlings  with  God  in  prayer,  there 
is  so  little  efficacy  in  ordmances.  Martha  told  her  Saviour, 
"  Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  died," 
John  11  :  21 ;  and  I  may  tell  you,  that  if  the  Spirit  had 
been  here,  your  souls  had  not  remained  dead  under  the  word 
as  they  do  this  day.  0  when  the  Sabbath  draws  near,  let 
fervent  cries  ascend  from  every  family  to  heaven.  Lord, 
pour  out  thy  Spirit  with  thy  word  ;  make  it  mighty  through 
thy  power  to  open  these  gates  of  iron  and  break  asunder 
these  bars  of  brass. 

3* 


68  CHRIST   KNOClilNa  AT   THE    DOOR. 

The  subject  supplies  us  with  matter  for  exhortation  to 
duty.  Seeing  the  case  stands  thus,  that  all  hearts  by  nature 
are  barred  and  shut  up  against  Christ,  let  every  soul  strive 
to  its  uttermost  to  get  the  heart  and  will  opened  to  Christ  : 
"Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  Luke  13  :  24. 
Christ  is  at  the  door ;  0  strive  with  yourselves  as  well  as 
with  God  now  to  get  it  opened,  now  that  salvation  is  come 
so  near  your  souls. 

Objection.  But  have  you  not  told  us  that  no  sinner 
can  open  his  own  heart,  nor  bow  his  own  will  to  Christ  ? 

Answer.  True,  he  cannot  convert  himself,  but  he  may 
do  many  things  in  order  to  it,  and  which  have  a  tendency  to 
it,  which  he  does  not  do  ;  and  so  he  perishes,  not  because  he 
cannot,  but  because  he  will  not  open  his  heart  to  Christ. 

Many  things  may  be  done  by  sinners  which  are  not 
done  ;  and  though  in  themselves  they  are  insufficient,  yet 
being  the  way  in  which  the  Spirit  of  God  usually  works,  we 
are  bound  to  do  them.  As  for  example,  1.  If  it  be  not  in 
your  power  to  open  your  heart  to  Christ,  it  is  in  your  power 
to  forbear  the  external  acts  of  sin,  which  set  your  heart  the 
more  against  Christ.  AVho  forces  thine  hands  to  steal,  or  thy 
tongue  to  swear  or  lie  ?  "Who  forces  the  cup  of  excess  down 
your  throat  ?  2.  If  you  cannot  open  your  heart  under  the 
word,  it  is  in  your  power  to  attend  upon  the  external  duties 
and  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  Why  cannot  those  feet  carry 
thee  to  the  assemblies  of  the  saints,  as  well  as  to  a  tavern  ? 

3.  And  if  you  cannot  admit  the  word  effectually  into  your 
heart,  certainly  you  can  apply  your  mind  with  more  atten- 
tion and  consideration  to  it  than  you  do.  Who  forces  thine 
eyes  to  wander,  or  closes  them  with  sleep,  when  the  awful 
matters  of  eternal  life  and  death  are  sounding  in  thine  ears? 

4.  If  you  cannot  open  your  heart  to  embrace  Christ,  cer- 
tainly you  can  reflect  when  the  obvious  characters  of  a 
Christless  state  are  plainly  held  forth  before  your  eyes. 
God  has  given   you  a  self-reflecting  power  :    the  spirit  of 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  59 

man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man.  1  Cor.  2:11.  When 
you  hear  of  convictions  of  sin,  compunction  of  heart  for  sin, 
deep  concern  of  the  soul  about  its  eternal  state,  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  Christ,  anxious  days  and  nights  about 
salvation,  which  others  have  felt,  you  can  certainly  examine 
whether  it  were  ever  so  with  you ;  and  if  not,  methinks  it 
might  conduce  to  the  prevention  of  your  misery,  to  bemoan 
yourself,  saying,  "  Ah,  my  poor  soul,  canst  thou  endure  ever- 
lasting burnings  ?  "What  will  become  of  thee  if  Christ  pass 
thee  by,  and  his  Spirit  strive  no  more  with  thee  ?"  Why 
cannot  you  throw  yourself  at  the  feet  of  God,  and  cry  for 
mercy  ?  Prayer  is  a  part  of  natural  worship  ;  distress  usu- 
ally puts  men  upon  it  who  have  no  grace.  Jonah  1  :  5. 
Do  this  towards  the  opening  and  saving  of  your  soul,  which 
though  it  be  not  in  itself  sufficient,  nor  puts  God  under  any 
obligation  or  necessity  to  show  you  mercy,  yet  it  puts  you  in 
the  way  of  the  Spirit.  And  is  not  thy  soul,  sinner,  worth 
as  much  as  this  ?  Have  you  not  taken  a  great  deal  more 
pains  for  the  trifles  of  this  world  ?  And  will  it  not  be  a 
dreadful  aggravation  of  sin  and  misery  to  all  eternity,  that 
you  perished  so  easily  ?  Do  not  you  see  many  round  about 
you  striving  for  Christ  and  salvation,  while  you  sit  still  with 
folded  arms  as  if  you  had  nothing  to  do  for  another  world  ? 
*'  The  kingdom  of  heaven  sufFereth  violence,  and  the  violent 
take  it  by  force."     Matt.  11  :  12. 

Why  should  other  men's  souls  be  dearer  to  them  than 
yours  to  you  ?  What  discouragements  have  you  which  other 
men  have  not;  or  what  encouragements  have  they  which 
you  have  not  ? 

Objection.  Say  not,  We  have  no  assurance  that  our 
pains  shall  prosper,  or  our  strivings  be  made  effectual  to 
conversion :  if  there  were  any  promise  in  the  gospel  that 
such  endeavors  should  be  seconded  from  heaven  and  made 
available  to  salvation,  then  we  would  strive  as  long  as 
breath  and  life  should  last;   but  all  this   may  be  to  no 


60  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

purpose,   we  may  be  Christless   and^  hopeless  when   all  is 
done. 

Answer.  But  yet  remember,  God  may  bless  these  weak 
endeavors,  and  give  you  his  Almighty  Spirit  with  them  : 
nay,  it  is  highly  probable  that  he  will  do  so  ;  and  is  a  strong 
probability  nothing  with  you  ?  Do  you  perform  no  actions 
about  your  civil  callings  without  an  assurance  of  success  ? 
When  the  merchant  ventures  his  life  or  property  at  sea,  is 
he  sure  of  a  good  return  ;  or  does  he  not  venture  upon 
the  mere  probabilities  of  a  gainful  voyage  ?  When  the 
husbandman  plows  his  land,  and  empties  his  bags  and 
purse  upon  it,  is  he  sure  of  a  good  harvest  ?  May  not  a 
blight  defeat  all  his  hopes  ?  Yet  he  ploweth  and  soweth  in 
hope,  and  ordinarily  God  makes  him  partake  of  his  hope  ; 
but  without  such  industry  his  expectations  would  be  in  vain, 
AAvay  then  with  vain  excuses ;  up  and  be  doing  in  the  use 
of  all  appointed  means,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you. 

Before  I  dismiss  this  point,  let  us  try  ourselves  by  it, 
whether  God  has  opened  our  hearts  to  Christ,  broken  these 
bars  of  ignorance,  unbelief,  custom,  and  prejudice — whether 
we  are  ready  to  receive  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord. 

This  is  a  solemn  application  of  the  subject,  and  the  con- 
sequences of  it  may  be  great  :  0  that  our  faithfulness  and 
seriousness  in  the  trial  may  be  answerable.  Try  yourselves 
by  these  following  i^la.rks  : 

Mark  1.  If  your  eyes  be  not  opened  to  see  sin  in  its 
vileness,  and  Christ  in  his  glory,  suitableness,  and  7ieces- 
sity,  then  your  hearts  were  never  yet  eflectually  opened  by 
the  gospel.  Men's  eyes  may  be  opened  to  see  sin,  and  their 
hearts  at  the  same  time  be  shut  up  by  unbelief  against 
Christ ;  but  no  man's  heart  can  be  opened  to  Christ  while 
his  eyes  are  shut  :  "  This  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son  and  believeth  on  him, 
may  have   everlasting   life."     John  6:40.     The  work  of 


THE  HEART  CLOSED.  CI 

faith  is  always  wrought  in  the  light  of  conviction  ;  the  cure 
of  the  heart  begins  at  the  eye  of  the  mind,  Acts  26  :  18, 
"to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God."  God  opens 
men's  hearts  by  shining  into  them.  2  Cor.  4:6.  If,  there- 
fore, any  man's  eyes  be  still  blinded  with  ignorance  and 
prejudice,  so  that  he  sees  not  his  own  guilt  and  misery,  nor 
the  worth  and  necessity  of  a  Saviour,  that  man's  heart  is 
still  under  Satan's  lock  and  bar,  sin  is  shut  in  and  Christ  is 
shut  out  of  his  soul. 

Mark  2.  No  heart  opens  to  Christ  by  faith  till  it  be  first 
tvounded  by  comipunctioji  mid  humiliation;  this  heart- 
wounding  work  is  always  antecedent  to  the  work  of  faith. 

1  doubt  not  but  your  thoughts  forerun  my  discourse,  and  are 
directed  to  that  scripture  where  Peter,  preaching  to  those 
who  had  crucified  Christ,  and  bringing  his  discourse  close  to 
their  consciences  in  the  application  of  that  sermon,  convinces 
them  not  only  what  an  atrocious  crime  the  crucifying  of  the 
Son  of  God  was  in  itself,  but  also  charges  it  home  upon  them  : 
"  Him,  being  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands  have 
crucified  and  slain.  "When  they  heard  this,  they  were  prick- 
ed in  their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter  and  to  the  rest  of  the 
apostles,   Men   and  brethren,   what    shall  we  do  ?"     Acts 

2  :  23,  37.  Upon  this  outcry  three  thousand  souls  opened 
in  one  hour  to  Christ.  Now  consider  w^hether  your  hearts 
have  been  thus  wounded;  has  sorrow  for  sin  pierced  thy 
soul  ?  Vain  sinner,  that  frothy  heart  of  thine  must  bleed 
under .  compunctions  for  sin,  or  there  will  be  no  room  for 
Christ  in  it.  Come,  soul,  it  is  in  vain  to  flatter  yourself  in 
your  own  eyes  :  reflect  upon  the  frame  of  your  heart,  call 
back  the  days  that  are  past,  and  say,  when  was  the  time, 
and  where  was  the  place  when  thou  layedst  at  the  foot  of 
God,  mourning  on  account  of  thy  sins.  Did  ever  God  hear 
such  a  cry  as  this  from  thy  soul?  "  Ah,  Lord,  my  soul  is  dis- 


62  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

tressed ;  I  roll  hither  and  thither  for  ease  and  comfort,  but 
find  none.  0  the  insupportable  weight  of  guilt ;  0  the  bit- 
terness of  sin.  My  soul  fails  under  it ;  Lord,  undertake  for 
me."  I  do  not  say  the  degrees  of  compunction  and  humili- 
ation are  equal  in  all  converts,  neither  are  their  sins  or  their 
ability  to  bear  sorrows  for  them  equal ;  but  this  I  say,  thy 
heart  must  ache  for  sin,  or  it  will  never  open  to  Christ :  he 
bmds  up  none  but  broken  hearts.     Isa.  61  :  1. 

Mark  3.  If  Christ  is  come  into  thy  heart,  tlie  love  a7id 
delight  of  every  sin  is  g07ie  out  of  it.  Christ  and  the  love 
of  sin  cannot  dwell  together  :  what  he  said  to  the  soldiers 
that  apprehended  him  in  the  garden,  he  says  to  every  soul 
that  comes  to  apprehend  him  by  faith,  "  If  ye  seek  me,  let 
these  go  their  way,"  John  18:8;  away  with  the  sin  thou 
most  delightest  in.  Christ  cannot  come  in  till  this  be  gone. 
**  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon  him 
while  he  is  near  :  let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the 
unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  and  to  our  God, 
for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  Isa.  55  :  6,  7.  Here  are 
the  terms  of  your  acceptance  and  salvation  plainly  laid  down, 
forsake  thy  ways  and  thoughts  :  the  way  means  the  exter- 
nal acts  of  sin,  and  the  thoughts  the  internal  acts  of  con- 
trivance and  delight  in  sin ;  both  these  must  be  forsaken ; 
and  that  is  not  all,  for  this  makes  but  a  negative  holiness, 
"  Let  him  return  to  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy."  It 
is  in  vain  for  men  to  make  the  door  of  salvation  wider  than 
God  has  made  it ;  we  cannot  bring  down  Christ's  terms 
lower  than  he  has  set  them  :  if  we  will  not  come  up  to  them, 
Christ  and  we  must  part.  And  this  makes  the  great  strug- 
gle in  the  souls  of  converts.  0  it  is  hard  to  give  up  pleasant 
and  profitable  lusts ;  but  away  they  must  go,  a  bill  of 
divorce  must  be  signed  for  them,  or  you  cannot  be  espoused 
to  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  will  be  found  to  be  much  harder 
than  to  part  with  all  external  things  for  Christ's  sake. 


THE  HEART  CLOSED.  63 

Mark  4.  No  heart  can  opeii^truly  to  Christ,  that  is  not 
made  tvilling  upon  due  deliberation  to  receive  him,  iviih 
his  cross  of  sufferings  and  his  yoke  of  obedience.  Matt. 
16  :  24  ;  11  :  29.  Any  exception  against  either  of  these  is  an 
effectual  bar  to  union  with  Christ ;  he  looks  upon  that  soul 
as  not  worthy  of  him,  that  puts  in  such  an  exception.  Matt. 
10  :  38.  If  thou  judgest  not  Christ  to  be  worth  all  suffer- 
ings, all  losses,  all  reproaches,  he  judges  thee  unworthy  to 
bear  the  name  of  his  disciple.  So  for  the  duties  of  obedi- 
ence, called  his  yoke  ;  he  that  will  not  receive  Christ's  yoke 
can  never  receive  his  person,  nor  any  benefit  by  his  blood, 

Mark  5.  Every  heart  that  opens  sincerely  and  evangel- 
ically to  Christ,  opens  to  him  in  deep  humility  and  sense 
of  its  emptiness  and  univorthiness ;  all  self-righteousness  is 
given  up  as  dung  and  dross.  Phil.  3:8.  Thus  Abraham 
came  to  him  as  to  one  that  justifieth  the  ungodly.  "  To  him 
that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the 
ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."  E-om.  4  :  5. 
Yea,  here  is  the  true  way  of  justification  indeed ;  where  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  Christ  comes,  all  self-righteousness 
vanishes  before  it.  By  "  him  that  worketh  not,"  understand 
not  an  idle,  lazy  believer,  who  takes  no  care  of  the  duties  of 
obedience ;  an  idle  faith  can  never  be  a  saving  faith.  But 
the  meaning  is,  he  worketh  not  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
first  covenant — to  make  up  a  righteousness  for  himself  by 
his  own  working,  to  cover  himself  with  a  robe  of  righteous- 
ness of  his  own  weaving.  Thou  must  receive  Christ  into  a 
naked,  unworthy  soul,  or  not  receive  him  at  all.  Paul 
heartily  rejected  all  his  own  righteousness,  cast  down  that 
house-idol  to  the  ground,  that  he  might  be  found  ui  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  Phil.  3  :  9.  Cast  that  idol  out  of 
doors,  it  stands  in  the  way  of  a  better  righteousness.  There 
are  divers  ways  wherein  sinners  maintain  their  own  right- 
eousness to  their  ruin.  There  is  a  gross  and  a  more  refined 
self-righteousness ;  the  one  more  palpable  and  easily  liable 


64  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT  THE  DOOR. 

to  conviction,  the  other  much  harder  to  be  discovered  and 
cured.  Ask  some  men  on  what  their  hopes  of  salvation  are 
grounded,  and  they  vi^ill  tell  you  they  are  just  in  their  deal- 
ings with  men  and  constant  in  their  prayers  to  God  ;  that  is 
all,  and  therefore  they  doubt  not  of  their  salvation.  Thus 
they  substitute  a  righteousness  of  their  own  in  the  place  of 
Christ's  blood,  and  are  their  own  destroyers  by  seeking  in 
this  way  to  be  their  own  saviours.  But  there  is  a  more 
refined  way  of  self-righteousness,  dressed  up  in  such  pretences 
of  humility  that  men  are  hard  to  be  convinced  of  it.  I 
pity  many  souls  on  this  account  who  stand  off  from  Christ, 
and  dare  not  believe  because  they  want  such  and  such  qual- 
ifications to  fit  them  for  Christ.  0,  saith  one,  could  I  find 
so  much  brokenness  of  heart  for  sin,  so  much  reformation 
and  power  over  corruptions,  then  I  could  come  to  Christ ; 
the  meaning  of  which  is,  if  I  could  bring  a  price  in  my  hand 
to  purchase  him,  then  I  should  be  encouraged  to  go  to  him. 
Here  now  is  horrible  pride  covered  over  with  a  veil  of  humil- 
ity. Poor  sinner,  either  come  naked  and  empty-handed, 
according  to  Isa.  55  :  1,  and  E,om.  4  :  5,  or  expect  a  repulse ; 
for  Christ  is  not  the. sale,  but  the  gift  of  God. 

Mark  6.  Whatever  soul  opens  to  Christ,  o/;e/^s  finally 
and  everlastingly  to  him  ;  the  heart  once  opened  to  Christ, 
must  stand  open  for  ever  to  him,  never  to  shut  him  out  any 
more.  And  here  is  a  very  observable  difference  between  a 
man  who  comes  to  Christ  in  a  sudden  fright  of  conscience, 
and  parts  from  him  again  when  that  fright  is  over,  and  a 
man  who  receives  Christ  to  dwell  in  his  heart  by  faith. 
Eph.  3  :  17.  When  Christ  comes  into  the  heart,  he  saith, 
"  Here  will  I  dwell  for  ever ;"  and,  "  Lord,"  saith  the  soul, 
"  so  I  receive  thee  ;  this  is  the  day  of  union,  0  let  me  never 
know  a  day  of  separation  ;  let  it  never  be  in  the  power  of 
life  or  death,  angels,  principalities  or  powers,  things  present 
or  to  come,  to  make  a  separation  between  thee  and  me." 
"  Soul,"  saith  Christ,  "  thou  shalt  be  mine  while  I  am  in 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  65 

heaven  ;"  and,  "  Lord,"  saith  the  soul,  "  I  will  be  thme  while 
I  am  on  earth."  "  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee," 
saith  Christ ;  "  0,  my  Lord,"  saith  the  soul,  "  hold  me  fast 
in  thy  hand,  that  I  may  never  leave  nor  forsake  thee ;  my 
estate,  liberty,  and  life  may  and  must  go,  but  it  is  the  fixed 
purpose  of  my  heart  never,  never  to  let  thee  go."  The 
espousals  between  Christ  and  the  soul  are  for  ever  :  "  I  will 
betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever,"  yea,ybr  ever.  Hos.  2:19. 
And  here  lies  another  great  difference  between  the  hypocrite 
who  takes  Christ  with  a  politic  reserve,  that  will  venture 
with  Christ  at  sea  no  further  than  he  can  see  the  shore,  and 
the  upright  heart  that  embarks  itself  with  Christ  without 
reserve,  come  what  wall ;  that  saith  to  him,  as  Ittai  to 
David,  when  entreated  to  go  back  in  a  time  of  danger,  "  Nay, 
where  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  whether  it  be  in  liberty  or 
in  prison,  in  life  or  in  death,  there  also  will  I  be."  Flesh 
may  persuade  to  a  retreat ;  but,  saith  the  soul,  I  cannot 
retreat :  wherever  the  truths,  the  interest  and  glory  of  Christ 
are,  there  also  must  I  be  ;  for  upon  these  terms  I  first  received 
him,  and  opened  the  door  of  my  heart  to  him.  These  things 
are  no  matters  of  surprise  to  me,  Christ  and  I  have  debated 
them  long  ago ;  he  dealt  fairly  with  me,  and  I  must  deal 
faithfully  with  him. 

Now,  brethren,  view  over  these  six  trials  ;  have  your 
eyes  been  opened  to  see  sin  in  its  vileness,  and  Christ  in  his 
beauty  and  necessity  ?  Have  your  hearts  been  wounded 
with  compunction  and  sorrow  for  sin  ?  Are  the  love  and 
delight  of  sin  gone  out  of  your  souls  ?  Have  you  no  excep- 
tions either  to  the  cross  or  yoke  of  Christ  ?  Have  you  given 
up  all  your  own  righteousness,  w^hether  gross  or  refined,  for 
dung  and  dross,  and  received  Christ  for  ever  ?  Then  thy 
heart  is  savingly  opened  to  him. 

The  last  improvement  of  this  doctrine  will  be,  to  draw 
from  it  CONSOLATION  to  all  whose  hearts  the  Lord  has  thus 


C6  CHEIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

opened  to  receive  Christ  at  his  knocks  and  calls  of  the 
gospel. 

Has  God  indeed  opened  your  heart,  and  made  you  sin- 
cerely willing  to  receive  Christ?  then  there  are  ten  sweet 
consolations,  like  so  many  boxes  of' precious  ointment,  to  be 
poured  forth  in  the  close  of  this  discourse,  upon  every  such 
soul. 

Consolation  1.  The  opening  of  any  man's  heart  to  re- 
ceive Christ,  is  a  clear,  scriptitral  evidence  of  the  Lord's 
love  to  and  setting  apart  that  man  for  himself  from  eter- 
nity. I  do  not  say  that  every  man  whose  heart  is  opened 
by  faith,  is  thereupon  immediately  assured  and  satisfied  that 
God  has  chosen  him  to  salvation.  But  whether  he  appre- 
hend it  or  not,  the  thing  in  itself  is  certain.  '*  Knowing, 
brethren  beloved,  your  election  of  God.  For  our  gospel  came 
not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance."  1  Thess.  1  :  4,  5. 
Their  election  of  God  was  the  thing  to  be  proved ;  but  alas, 
might  they  say,  Who  can  know  that  but  God  alone  ?  it  is 
among  the  divine  secrets.  Yes,  saith  the  apostle,  we  know 
it,  and  by  this  we  know  it ;  for  our  gospel  came  not  unto 
you  in  an  empty  sound,  but  in  mighty  efficacy,  effectually 
opening  your  hearts  to  believe.  A  more  clear  and  certain 
evidence  of  your  election  cannot  be  given  in  this  world. 

Again,  look  into  Rom.  8  :  30  :  "  Moreover,  whom  he  did 
predestinate,  them  he  also  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them 
he  also  justified  ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glori- 
fied." There  are  two  great  and  ravishing  truths  cleared  in 
this  scripture  :  the  one  is,  that  the  whole  number  of  the 
called  upon  earth  were  predestinated  to  life  before  the  world 
was  ;  the  other  is,  that  as  the  whole  number  of  the  glorified 
saints  in  heaven  is  made  up  of  souls  called  and  justified  on 
earth,  so  the  called  soul,  that  is,  the  soul  that  savingly  ojsens 
to  Christ  by  faith,  may,  from  that  work  of  the  Spirit  upon 
him,  solidly  reason  backward  to  God's  electing  love  before 


THE   HEAET  CLOSED.  G7 

all  time,  and  forward  to  his  glorification  with  God  when 
time  shall  be  no  more.  0  how  strong  is  the  consolation 
flowing  out  of  this  glorious  work  of  the  Spirit  on  our 
hearts. 

Consolation  2.  The  opening  of  the  heart  to  receive 
Christ,  is  the  peculiar  effect  of  the  almighty  power  of  God. 
The  arm  of  an  angel  is  too  weak  to  break  those  strong  bars 
before-mentioned ;  therefore  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his 
power  is  applied  unto  this  work  of  believing  :  "  The  exceed- 
ing greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  according 
to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power  which  he  wrought  in 
Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead."  Eph.  1  :  19, 
20.  Here  is  power,  the  power  of  God,  the  greatness  of  his 
power,  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power,  the  very  same 
power  which  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from 
the  dead ;  and  all  this  is  needed  to  make  the  heart  of  man 
open  by  faith  to  receive  Christ.  The  only  key  that  fits  the 
cross  wards  of  man's  will  and  effectually  opens  his  heart,  is 
in  the  hand  of  Christ :  "  He  hath  the  key  of  David  ;  he  open- 
eth,  and  no  man  shutteth."     Rev,  3  :  7. 

How  long  some  of  you  sat  under  able  ministers,  search- 
ing sermons,  and  alarming  providences  ;  yet  to  no  purpose, 
till  this  almighty  power  came  with  the  word,  and  then  the 
work  was  done.  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day 
of  thy  power."  Psalm  110:3.  What  a  glorious  power 
was  that  which  opened  Christ's  grave,  when  he  lay  in  the 
heart  of  the  earth,  vvdth  a  weighty  stone  rolled  upon  his 
sepulchre.  And  how  mighty  a  power  was  that  which  broke 
asunder  all  those  bars  which  kept  thy  soul  in  the  state  of 
sin  and  death,  None  feel  this  power  but  those  whom  God 
intends  for  salvation ;  and  having  once  wrought  this,  it  is 
engaged  to  go  through  with  all  the  rest  which  yet  remains 
to  be  done  to  perfect  thy  salvation. 

Consolation  3.  The  opening  of  thy  heart  to  Christ  is 
not  only  an  effect  of  almighty  power,  but  an  effect  without 


68  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

whicJi  all  that  Christ  has  done  and  suffered  had  heen  of 
no  avail  to  thy  salvation;  neither  the  eternal  decrees  of 
God,  nor  the  meritorious  sufferings  of  Christ,  are  effectual  to 
any  man's  salvation,  until  this  work  of  the  Spirit  be  wrought 
upon  his  heart.  The  offering  of  Christ  is  sufficient  to  pur- 
chase our  redemption,  but  the  receiving  of  Christ  by  faith 
brings  home  salvation  to  our  souls.  Where  there  are  many 
causes  to  produce  one  effect,  that  effect  is  not  produced  until 
the  last  cause  has  wrought.  Thus  it  is  here  :  the  moving 
cause,  namely,  the  free-grace  of  God,  has  wrought ;  and  the 
meritorious  cause,  the  death  of  Christ,  has  also  wrought ; 
but  still  the  heart,  even  of  an  elect  man,  remains  under  guilt 
and  condemnation,  till  the  Spirit,  who  is  the  applying  agent, 
has  also  Avrought  the  blessed  effect  we  now  speak  of.  It  is 
Christ  in  us,  that  is,  in  union  with  our  souls,  which  is  to  us 
the  hope  of  glory.  Col.  1  :  27  ;  1  Cor.  1  :  30.  Behold,  then, 
the  last  stroke  given  in  this  openmg  of  the  heart  by  faith ; 
herein  electing  love  has  brought  home  Christ,  with  all  the 
purchases  and  benefits  of  his  death,  into  the  actual  possession 
of  thy  soul.     0  how  transporting  a  consideration  is  this. 

Consolation  4.  In  this  work,  the  opening  of  the  heart 
by  faith,  the  great  design  of  the  gospel  is  also  accomjMshed. 
You  behold  in  the  church  a  glorious  frame  of  ordinances  set 
up  by  divine  institution,  ministers  appointed  to  preach,  sac- 
raments, prayers,  singing — a  variety  of  ordinances  set  up  and 
excellent  gifts  bestowed  on  men,  as  the  fruit  of  Christ's 
ascension  into  heaven.  Now,  what  was  the  design  of  God 
in  the  institution  of  all  these  things,  but  that  by  them,  as 
instruments  in  his  hand,  our  ignorant,  dead,  unbelieving 
hearts  might  be  opened  to  Christ  in  acts  of  repentance  and 
faith,  and  built  up  to  a  perfect  man  ?  Ministers  are  sent  to 
open  your  eyes,  to  turn  you  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from 
the  power  of  Satan  to  God.  Acts  26  :  18.  They  are  not 
sent  by  Christ  into  this  world  to  get  a  living,  to  pursue  a 
trade  for  themselves,  but  to  bring  you  to  faith.     1  Cor.  3  :  5. 


^" 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  69 

When  God's  elect  are  thus  brought  in  and  built  up  in  Christ, 
you  shall  see  this  glorious  frame  of  ordinances  taken  down  ; 
there  will  be  no  more  preaching  nor  hearing,  the  end  of  all 
these  things  being  accomphshed :  "  Then  cometh  the  end, 
when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even 
the  Father."  1  Cor.  15  :  24.  The  consideration  of  the 
accomplishment  of  the  great  and  principal  design  of  the 
gospel  thus  far  upon  thy  heart,  is  matter  of  transporting  joy. 
Ministers  may  and  must  die,  ordinances  may  be  removed, 
but  this  blessed  effect  of  them  upon  thy  soul  shall  never  die  : 
God  will  perfect  what  he  hath  begun. 

Consolation  5.  That  day  ivherein  thy  heart  is  savingly 
opened  to  receive  Christ,  that  very  day  is  salvatioii  come 
to  thy  soul.  When  the  heart  of  Zaccheus  was  opened  to 
Christ,  he  tells  him,  "  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  thy 
house."  Luke  19:9.  Salvation  was  come  into  the  world 
before  thou  wast  born ;  yea,  salvation  was  come  to  thy  door 
in  the  tenders  of  the  gospel  before ;  but  it  never  came  into 
thy  soul  till  the  day  wherein  thy  heart  opened  to  Christ  by 
faith.  And  is  not  this  matter  of  singular  consolation  ?  If 
salvation  be  not,  what  is  ?  No  wonder  that  the  eunuch  went 
home  rejoicing,  when  he  had  received  Christ  by  faith.  Acts 
8  :  39  ;  that  the  jailer  rejoiced  with  all  his  house.  Acts 
16  :  34.  Neither  blame  nor  wonder  at  such  men  for  rejoic- 
ing, for  it  is  the  day  of  their  salvation.  It  is  true  their  sal- 
vation was  not  finished  that  day,  there  were  many  things 
yet  to  be  done  and  suffered  by  them  before  the  completion  of 
it ;  but  it  was  begun  that  day,  the  foundation  was  laid  in 
the  soul  that  day,  and  the  top-stone  shall  be  set  up  with 
shouting  in  due  time,  crj^ing,  Grace,  grace  unto  it. 

Consolation  6.  The  opening  of  a  sinner's  heart  to 
Christ  makes  joy  in  heave?!,  a  triumph  iii  the  city  of  our 
God  above.  "  I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over 
ninety  and  nme  just  persons  which  need  no  repentance." 


70  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Luke  15:7.  As  when  a  young  prince  is  born,  all  the 
kingdom  rejoices,  and  there  is  a  demonstration  of  joy  and 
thankfulness  in  ever}^  city  and  town ;  it  is  much  more  so  in 
heaven,  when  a  soul  is  horn  to  Christ  under  the  gospel.  It 
is  a  satisfaction  to  the  heart  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  now 
beholds  more  of  the  travail  of  his  soul ;  and  to  all  the  angels 
and  saints,  that  another  soul  is  espoused  to  him. 

When  the  gospel  is  effectually  brought  home  by  the 
Spirit  to  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  and  wounds  him  for  sin,  and 
sends  him  home,  crying,  0  sick,  sick  of  sin,  and  sick  for 

'JO'  '  ' 

Christ  I  the  news  thereof  is  presently  in  heaven,  and  sets 
the  whole  city  of  God  rejoicing.  Christ  never  rejoiced  over 
thee  before  ;  thou  hast  wounded  him  and  grieved  him  a  thou- 
sand times,  but  he  never  rejoiced  in  thee  till  now  ;  and  that 
which  gives  joy  to  Christ  may  well  be  matter  of  joy  to  thee. 
Consolation  7.  The  day  thy  heart  is  unlocked,  unbarred, 
and  savingly  opened  by  faith,  that  very  day  an  inti7nate, 
spiritual,  and  everlasting  union  is  made  betiveen  Christ 
atid  thy  soul;  from  that  day  Christ  is  thi7ie,  and  thou  art 
his.  Christ  is  a  great  and  glorious  person ;  but  how  great 
and  glorious  soever  he  be,  the  feeble  arms  of  thy  faith  may 
surround  and  embrace  him,  and  thou  mayest  say  with  the 
church,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his."  Sol.  Song, 
2  :  16.  For  mark  what  he  says  in  the  text,  "  If  any  man 
open  to  me,  I  will  come  in  to  him."  That  soul  shall  be  my 
habitation,  there  will  I  dwell  for  ever.  Thus  will  Christ 
dwell  in  your  heart  by  faith.  What  soul  feels  not  itself 
advanced  by  this  union  with  the  Son  of  God  ?  Hereby  the 
believer  becomes  a  member  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh  and  of 
his  bones  :  this  is  an  honor  bestowed  upon  thy  soul,  aboA^e 
all  that  ever  God  bestowed  upon  any  angel  in  heaven ;  to 
them  Christ  is  a  head  by  way  of  dominion,  but  to  thee  by 
way  of  vital  influence.  Angels  are  as  the  nobles  of  his 
kingdom,  but  the  believer  his  bride,  and  all  the  angels  of 
heaven  are  ministering  spirits  unto  such. 


THE   HEART  CLOSED.  71 

Consolation  8,  The  opening  of  thy  heart  to  Christ 
brings  thee  not  onlij  into  itnion  tvith  his  person,  but  into 
the  state  of  siveet,  soul-enriching  communion  ivith  him. 
So  he  speaks  in  the  text,  "  If  any  man  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  liim,  and  he  with  me." 
Thou  hast  lived  many  years  in  the  world,  and  never  hadst 
any  communion  with  God  till  this  day^  Christ  and  thy  soul 
have  been  strangers  till  now.  Thou  mayest  have  had  com- 
munion with  ordinances,  and  even  external  communion  with 
saints,  but  for  communion  with  Christ  thou  couldst  know 
nothing  of  it,  till  thou  receivedst  him  into  thy  soul  by  faith. 
Now  thou  mayest  say,  "  Truly  my  fellowship  is  with  the 
Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  1  Jolin,  1:3. 
And  thenceforth  thy  communion  with  men  is  pleasant  and 
desirable. 

Consolation  9.  The  opening  of  a  man's  soul  to  Christ 
by  faith,  is  a  special  and  peculiar  onercy.  God  has  done 
that  for  thee  which  he  has  not  done  to  millions  :  "  Who 
hath  believed  our  report ;  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  revealed?"  that  is,  to  how  small  a  remnant  in  the 
world.  Isa,  53  : 1.  And  the  apostle  puts  the  work  of  faith 
among  the  great  mysteries  of  godliness,  the  wonders  of  relig- 
ion :'  "  Preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the 
world.",  1  Tim.  3  :  16.  The  sound  of  the  gospel  is  gone 
forth  into  the  world  :  "  Many  are  called,  but  few  are  cho- 
sen." Matt.  22  :  14.  There  were  many  widows  in  Israel 
in  the  days  of  Elias,  but  to  none  of  them  was  Elias  sent, 
save  unto  Sarepta,  a  city  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that  was 
a  widow.  Luke  4  :  25,  26.  There  may  have  been  hundreds 
who  sat  under  the  same  sermon  which  opened  thy  heart  to 
Christ,  but  it  may  be  to  none  of  them  was  the  Spirit  of 
God  sent  that  day,  to  open  their  hearts  by  faith,  but  to  thee  ; 
thou  wilt  freely  acknowledge  thyself  as  unlikely  and  unwor- 
thy as  the  vilest  sinner  there.     0  astonishing  mercy  I 

Consolation  10.  And  lastly,  in  the  same  day  thy  heart 


72  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

opens  by  faith  to  Christ,  all  the  treasures  of  Christ  are 
unlocked  and  opened  to  thee.  In  the  same  hour  in  wliich 
God  turns  the  key  of  regeneration  to  open  thy  soul,  the  key 
of  free-grace  is  also  turned  to  open  to  thee  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ ;  then  the  righteousness  of  Christ  becomes 
thine  to  justify  thee,  the  wisdom  of  Christ  to  guide  thee, 
the  holiness  of  Christ  to  sanctify  thee  ;  in  a  word,  he  is  that 
day  made  of  God  to  thee,  "  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and 
sanctification,  and  redemption."  1  Cor.  1  :  30.  "All  are 
yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's."  1  Cor, 
3  :  22,  23.  Thus  I  have  showed  you  some  of  the  great 
things  God  does  for  those  souls  who  open  their  hearts  to 
receive  Christ  on  the  terms  of  the  gospel. 


HIS    PATIENT   WAITING,  73 

CHAPTER  lY. 

CHRIST'S  PATIENCE    IN  WAITING  UPON  OBSTI- 
NATE   SINNERS. 

"BEHOLD,  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  AND  KNOCK."    Rev.  3:20. 

The  verb  here  rendered  "  I  stand,"  would  strictly  be 
rendered  "I  have  stood,"  but  being  joined  with  a  verb  of 
the  irresent  tense,  is  here  translated  "  I  do  stand,"  a  frequent 
Hebraism  in  Scripture.  It  intimates  the  continued  patience 
and  long-suffering  of  Christ ;  I  have  stood  and  still  do  stand, 
exercising  wonderful  patience  towards  obstinate  sinners. 
Which  gives  us  this  fourth  doctrine  : 

Great  and  admirable  is  the  j^citience  of  Chi'ist,  in  wait- 
ing on  trifling  and  obstinate  sin?iers. 

Thus  Wisdom,  that  is,  Christ,  expresses  himself:  "  I  have 
called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and 
no  man  regarded."  Prov.  1  :  24.  Here  you  have  not  only 
Christ's  earnest  calls,  but  suitable  gestures  also,  to  gain 
attention.  The  stretching  forth  of  the  hand  was  a  signal 
given  to  procure  attention.  Acts  21  :  40.  Yet  none  regards  ; 
and  this  the  Lord  does  not  once  or  twice  only,  but  all  the 
day  long,  Isa.  65  :  2,  showing  forth  all  long-suffering,  as  the 
apostle  speaks,  1  Tim.  1:16.  In  opening  this  point,  I  will 
show  what  divine  patience  is  ;  wherein  it  is  evidenced  ; 
and  why  it  is  exercised  towards  sinners. 

I.  What  divine  patience  is.  It  is  an  abihty  in  God 
not  only  to  delay  the  execution  of  his  wrath  for  a  time  tow- 
ards some,  but  to  delay  it  m  order  to  the  eternal  salvation 
of  others. 

1.  It  is  an  effect  of  'poiver  in  God,  not  the  effect  of 
inability  or  want  of  opportunity.  All  sinners  are  continually 
within  the  reach  of  the  arm  of  his  justice,  and  he  can  strike 
when  and  where  he  will.      Esau  had  a  revengeful  mind 

Chrkt  Knocking.  4 


74  CHUIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

against  Jacob,  but  wanted  opportunity,  and  therefore  was 
forced  to  delay  the  execution  of  his  wrath  until  the  days  of 
mourning  for  his  father  were  ended,  and  then,  saith  he, 
"  will  I  slay  my  brother  Jacob."  Gen.  27  :  41 .  But  in  God 
it  is  a  glorious  effect  of  power.  "  The  Lord  is  slow  to  anger 
and  great  in  power."  Nah.  1  : 3.  The  greatness  of  his 
patience  flows  from  the  greatness  of  his  power.  So  the 
apostle  speaks,  Uom.  9  :  22  :  "  What  if  God,  willing  to  show 
his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known,  endured  with 
much  long-sufTering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted,"  or  made 
up,  "to  destruction?"  And  therefore  when  Moses  prays 
for  the  exercise  of  divine  patience  towards  the  provoking 
Israelites,  he  does  it  in  this  form  :  "  And  now,  I  beseech 
thee,  let  the  power  of  my  Lord  be  great,  according  as  thou 
hast  spoken,  saying,  the  Lord  is  long-sufiering,  and  of  great 
mercy,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression."  Numbers, 
14  :  17,  18.  He  could  exercise  this  almighty  power  upon 
thee,  and  crush  thee  by  it  as  a  moth  is  crushed  ;  but  behold, 
he  exercises  it  upon  himself  in  staying  the  execution  of  his 
own  justice.  It  is  the  power  of  God  over  his  wrath,  restrain- 
ing it  from  day  to  day. 

2.  This  patience  is  exercised  toicards  such  as  perish,  in 
a  delay  of  their  damnation  ;  and  though  this  be  but  a  sus- 
pension of  his  wrath  for  a  time,  yet  it  is  a  glorious  act  of 
patience  in  him,  as  Rom.  9  :  22  shows.  Is  it  nothing  for 
a  sinner  condemned  as  soon  as  born,  to  be  reprieved  so  many 
years  out  of  hell  ?  Thou  hast  been  provoldng  him  daily  and 
hourly  to  cut  thee  of!',  and  send  thee  to  thy  own  place  ;  and 
yet  to  be  on  this  side  the  everlasting  burnings,  this  is  whol- 
ly owing  to  the  riches  of  his  forbearance.  Ah,  how  is  God 
to  be  admired  in  this  his  glorious  power  over  his  own  wrath ! 
When  we  look  abroad  into  the  world,  and  see  everywhere 
sinners  ripe  for  destruction,  daring  the  God  of  heaven  to  his 
face,  yet  forborne,  how  admirable  is  this  power  of  God  I 

3.  God  not  only  exercises  this  power  in  a  suspension  of 


I  HIS  PATIENT   WAITING-.  lo 

his  wrath  against  some,  who,  alas,  must  feel  it  at  last ;  but 
he  delays  the  execution  of  his  wrath  in  a  design  of  inercij 
towards  others,  tliat  they  tiiay  7iever  feel  it.  Isa.  48  :  8,  9. 
Thus  he  bears  with  his  own  elect  all  the  years  of  their  lives 
wherein  they  lie  in  the  state  of  nature,  and  go  on  in  a  course 
of  rebellion  against  God ;  and  this  long-suffering  of  God 
towards  them  proves  their  salvation,  as  you  have  it  in  2  Pet, 
3  :  15  ;  "And  account  that  the  long-suffering  of  our  Lord 
is  salvation."  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  Ah,  Chris- 
tian, thou  mayest  easily  know  the  meaning  of  it,  wdthout 
turning  over  many  Commentaries.  Thou  art  now  in  Christ, 
safely  escaped  from  the  danger  of  Avrath  to  come ;  but  thou 
owest  this  thy  salvation  to  the  patience  and  long-suffering 
of  God  towards  thee.  For  what  if  he  had  cut  thee  off  in 
the  days  of  thy  ignorance  and  rebellion  against  him,  and 
thou  knowest  that  thou  didst  give  him  millions  of  provoca- 
tions so  to  do,  where  hadst  thou  now  been  ?  Thou  hadst 
never  seen  Christ,  nor  the  least  dawning  hope  of  salvation 
by  him.  Remember  how  oft  you  lay  in  those  days  upon 
the  bed  of  sickness  and  upon  the  brink  of  the  grave ;  and 
what  was  it  that  saved  thee  from  eternal  wrath  but  this 
admirable  patience  of  Christ  ?  Well,  therefore,  may  the 
apostle  say,  "  Account  that  the  long-suffering  of  our  Lord  is 
salvation." 

This  patience  of  God  seems  to  spring  out  of  his  mercy  ; 
only  it  differs  from  mercy  in  this,  that  man  as  miserable  is 
the  object  of  mercy,  but  man  as  criminal  is  the  object  of 
patience.  Such  is  the  nature  of  divine  patience,  a  power 
of  God  over  his  own  wrath,  not  only  to  suspend  it  for  a  time 
towards  them  that  perish,  but  to  delay  the  execution  of  it 
in  a  design  of  salvation  towards  others. 

IL  The  evidences  of  this  divine  patience,  or  wherein  it 
appears  in  its  glorious  manifestations  towards  provoking 
sinners  ;  and  there  are  seven  full  evidences  and  discoveries 
of  it,  which  should  make  the  hearts  of  sinners  melt  within 


76  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOU. 

them,  while  they  are  sounding  hi  their  ears.  Ah,  methinks 
such  as  these  should  melt  down  your  hard  hearts  before  the 
Lord  : 

1.  The  first  evidence  shall  be  taken  from  the  multitude 
of  sins  wliich  men  are  guilty  of  before  him,  the  least  of 
which  is  a  burden  too  heavy  for  any  creature  to  bear  ;  the 
Psalmist  says,  "  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me 
about."  Psalm  40  :  12.  It  was  true,  as  applied  to  the  per- 
son of  David  ;  and  though  it  be  there  also  applied  to  the 
person  of  Christ,  yet  none  of  them  were  his  own  sins,  but 
ours — called  his,  by  God's  reckoning  or  imputing  them  to 
him.  Men  can  number  vast  sums,  millions  of  millions  ;  but 
no  man  can  number  his  own  sins,  they  exceed  all  account. 
There  is  not  a  member  of  the  body,  though  never  so  small, 
but  has  been  the  instrument  of  innumerable  evils.  For  in- 
stance, the  tongue,  the  apostle  tells  us,  is  a  world  of  iniqui- 
ty. Jas.  3:6.  And  if  there  be  a  world  of  sin  in  one  mem- 
ber, what  then  are  the  sins  of  all  ?  How  many  idle,  vain 
words,  has  thy  tongue  uttered.  And  yet  for  them,  Christ 
says,  men  shall  give  an  account  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
Matt.  12:36.  And  what  have  the  sins  of  thy  thoughts 
been  ?  Solomon  says,  "  The  thought  of  foolishness  is  sin." 
Prov.  24  :  9.  0  who  can  understand  his  errors  ?  Yet  the 
patience  of  God  has  not  failed  under  such  innumerable  evils. 
0  glorious  patience !  well  may  it  be  ushered  in  in  the  text 
with  a  term  of  admiration,  "Behold,  I  standi" 

2.  The  second  evidence  of  the  divine  patience  shall  be 
taken  from  the  heinous  nature  of  some  sins  above  otliers, 
whereby  si?i7iers  fly,  as  it  were,  in  the  very  face  of  God  ; 
and  yet  he  bears  with  long-suffering,  restraining  his  hands 
from  cutting  them  off.  All  sins  are  not  of  equal  magni- 
tude ;  some  have  a  slighter  hue,  and  some  are  deeper ; 
called  upon  that  account  scarlet  and  crimson  sins,  Isaiah 
1:18,  double-dyed  abominations;  such  are  sins  against 
knowledge,  or  sins  committed  after  convictions,  and  cove- 


HIS   PATIENT  WAITINa.  77 

nants,  and  rebukes  of  providence.  I  do  not  only  speak  of 
outward  gross  acts  of  sin ;  for  though  they  are  of  greater 
infamy,  yet  inward  sins  may  be  of  greater  gmlt,  even  those 
sins  that  never  defamed  thee  in  the  world ;  but  whatever 
they  are,  reader,  whether  outward  or  inward,  thy  conscience 
is  privy  to  them,  and  thy  soul  may  stand  amazed  at  the  pa- 
tience of  God  in  forbearing  all  this  while  under  such  provo- 
cations against  him  ;  especially,  considering  how  many  are 
this  day  in  hell  that  never  provoked  God  by  sinning  with 
such  a  high  hand  as  thou  hast  done. 

3.  There  is  a  yet  greater  evidence  of  the  patience  of  God 
in  his  bearing  with  us  under  the  guilt  of  the  special  sin  of 
slighting  and  neglecting  Jesus  Christ.  Here  is  a  sin  that 
goes  to  the  very  heart  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  can  bear  any 
sin  rather  than  that ;  and  yet  this  has  Christ  borne  from 
every  one  of  you.  You  have  spurned  the  yearnings  of  his 
mercy,  slighted  his  grace,  trampled  his  precious  blood  under 
foot,  and  yet  he  has  borne  with  you  to  this  day.  Let  thy 
conscience  answer,  whether  thou  art  not  equally  deep  in  the 
guilt  of  making  light  of  Christ  with  those  upon  whom  this 
sin  was  charged  by  the  Lord  Jesus.  Matt.  22  :  2-6.  Christ 
sufiered  the  wrath  of  God  in  thy  stead,  and  brought  home 
salvation  in  gospel-offers  to  thy  door ;  and  then  to  be  slight- 
ed !  No  patience  but  his  own  could  bear  it.  Every  sermon 
and  prayer  you  have  sat  under  with  a  dead  heart,  every 
motion  of  his  Spirit  which  you  have  quenched,  what  is  this 
but  making  light  of  Christ  and  the  great  salvation  ?  Here 
the  deepest  project  of  infinite  wisdom,  and  the  richest  gift  of 
free-grace,  wherein  God  commends  his  love  to  men,  are  un- 
dervalued as  small  things :  thus  have  you  done  days  with- 
out number ;  and  yet  his  hand  is  not  stretched  out  to  cut 
thee  off  in  thy  rebellion.  "  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee  ?" 
Micah  7:18.    "What  patience  is  like  the  patience  of  Christ? 

4.  The  length  of  time  the  ]patie7icc  of  Christ  has  borne 
luith  thee  speaks  its  perfection  and  riches.      Consider,  sin- 


78  CHRIST  KNOCKlNa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

ner,  what  age  thou  art  of,  how  many  years  thou  canst  num- 
ber, and  that  all  this  hath  been  a  time  of  patience,  for  thou 
wast  a  transgressor  from  the  womb  ;  yet,  for  his  name's  sake 
hath  he  deferred  his  anger  and  hath  not  cut  thee  off.  Isa. 
48  :  8,  9.  How  soon  did  the  wrath  of  God  break  forth  upon 
the  angels  when  they  sinned  in  heaven ;  and  how  long  has 
it  borne  with  thee,  while  thou  hast  been  provoking  him  on 
earth.  Was  there  ever  patience  hke  the  patience  of  God  ? 
Many  thousands  have  been  sent  away  to  hell  since  the 
beginning  of  thy  day,  but  thou  art  yet  spared.  0  that  the 
long-suffering  of  God  might  be  salvation  to  thee. 

5.  A  great  evidence  of  the  power  of  divine  patience  may 
be  drawn  from  the  grievmisness  of  our  si?ts  agai?ist  God, 
during  the  whole  time  of  his  forbearance.  It  is  true  there 
is  no  passion  in  the  divine  nature,  no  perturbation ;  his 
anger  is  a  mild  and  holy  flame  ;  yet  the  contrariety  of  sui 
to  the  holiness  of  his  nature  is  Avhat  makes  his  patience 
wonderful  in  the  eyes  of  men.  The  Scripture,  speaking  m 
language  fitted  to  the  understanding  of  the  creature,  repre- 
sents God  as  wounded  to  the  heart  by  the  sins  of  men  :  "I 
am  broken  with  their  whorish  heart,  which  hath  departed 
from  me,"  Ezek.  6:9;  "Behold,  I  am  pressed  under  you, 
as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of  sheaves,"  Amos  2:13, 
when  the  axle-tree  is  ready  to  crack  under  the  load.  It  is 
said,  "  They  mocked  the  messengers  of  God,  and  despised 
his  words,  and  misused  his  prophets,  until  the  wrath  of  the 
Lord  arose  against  his  people,  till  there  was  no  remedy," 
2  Chron.  36  :  16  ;  his  patience  would  endure  no  longer,  and 
therefore,  when  he  executed  his  wrath  upon  provoking  sin- 
ners, that  execution  is  represented  in  the  nature  of  an  ease 
or  relief  to  his  burdened  patience  and  justice :  "  Ah,  I  will 
ease  me  of  mine  adversaries,  and  avenge  me  of  mine  ene- 
mies." Isa.  1  :  24.  Yet  observe,  it  comes  in  with  an  Ah, 
a  kind  of  regret  and  reluctance  ;  so  Isa.  10  :  25,  "  Yet  a  very 
little  wliile  and  the  indignation  shall  cease,  and  mine  anger 


*;: 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  79 

ill  their  destruction."  God  could  have  given  ease  and  rest 
this  way  to  his  anger  long  ago,  but  he  chooses  rather  still 
to  bear  with  thee,  than  on  these  terms  to  ease  himself  of 
thee. 

6.  The  vast  exjoense  of  his  riches  and  bounty  upon  us, 
during  the  tvhole  time  of  his  forbearance  and  patience 
toivards  us,  speaks  him  infinite  in  his  long-suffering  towards 
us,  "  Despisest  thou  the  riches  of  liis  goodness  and  forbear- 
ance and  long-suffering,  not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of 
God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ?"  Eom.  2:4.  As  if  he 
had  said,  "■  Vile  sinner,  canst  thou  compute  the  treasures  of 
mercy  thou  hast  been  riotously  wasting  all  this  while  ? 
Dost  thou  know  what  vast  sums  Christ  has  spent  upon  thee 
to  preserve  thee  so  long  out  of  hell  ?"  There  are  two  treas- 
ures spending  upon  sinners,  all  the  time  of  God's  forbearance 
with  them  :  there  is  the  precious  treasure  of  thy  time  wasted, 
and  the  mvaluable  streams  of  gospel-grace  running  all  this 
while  to  waste.  Thy  time  is  precious  ;  the  whole  of  thy 
time  between  thee  and  eternity  is  but  little,  and  the  most 
of  it  has  been  wasted  in  sin  and  upon  vanity.  But  that  is 
not  all,  the  treasures  of  gospel-grace  have  been  wasting  all 
this  while  upon  thee.  It  is  compared  to  golden  oil,  main- 
taining the  lamps  of  ordinances.  Zech.  4:12.  Who  would 
maintain  a  lamp  with  golden  oil  for  careless  children  to  play 
by  ?  Yet  this  has  God  done  while  thy  soul  has  trifled  with 
him.  The  witnesses  and  ministers  of  Christ,  in  Rev.  11:3, 
4,  are  compared  to  those  olive-trees  that  drop  their  precious 
oil,  their  gifts,  graces,  yea,  and  then*  natural  spirits  with 
them,  into  this  lamp,  to  keep  it  burning.  All  this  while 
the  blood  of  Christ  has  been  running  in  vain,  the  ministers 
of  Christ  preacliuig  and  beseeching  in  vain,  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  striving  with  you  in  vain.  You  burn  away  golden 
oil,  and  yet  your  lamp  is  not  gone  out.  0  marvellous  pa- 
tience !     0  the  riches  of  God's  forbearance  I 

7.  The  riches  of  divine  patience  towards  you  are  greatly 


4 


bO  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOE. 

heightened  hy  the  quick  destruction  the  Lord  has  seyit  on 
other  sinners,  tvhile  he  has  spared  and  passed  over  you. 
This  comparative  consideration  calls  upon  you  in  the  apos- 
tle's language,  "  Behold,  therefore,  the  goodness  and  severity 
of  God  :  on  them  which  fell,  severity  ;  but  toward  thee, 
goodness,  if  thou  continue  in  his  goodness  :  otherwise  thou 
also  bhalt  be  cut  off."  Rom.  11  :  22.  Some  sinners  have 
been  cut  oil"  in  the  beginning  of  their  days,  many  in  the  very 
acts  of  sin,  and  those  not  greater  than  thy  sins  ;  they  are 
gone  to  their  own  place,  and  thou  art  still  left  a  monument 
of  the  patience  and  forbearance  of  God.  The  sin  of  Achan 
was  not  a  greater  sin  than  thy  covetousness  and  earthliness 
of  heart  is  ;  the  sin  of  Nadab  and  Abihu,  in  offering  up 
strange  fire,  was  not  greater  than  thy  superstition  in  offering 
up  uncommanded  services  to  God  :  yet  the  hand  of  God  fell 
on  them,  and  smote  them  dead — in  the  day  and  place 
wherein  they  sinned,  they  perished  ;  they  were  taken  away 
in  their  iniquities,  but  thou  art  reserved.  0  that  it  may  be 
for  an  instance  and  example  of  the  riches  of  divine  patience, 
which  may  at  last  lead  thee  to  repentance. 

Thus  I  have  given  you  seven  evidences  of  the  wonderful 
patience  of  Christ,  who  hath  stood  and  still  doth  stand  at 
the  door,  knocking. 

III.  Next,  we  will  inquire  into  the  reasons  of  this  mar- 
vellous patience  of  Christ,  this  astonishing  long-suffering  of 
God  towards  sinners. 

1.  The  exercise  of  his  patience  is  a  standifig  testimony 
of  his  reconcilable  and  merciful  nature  towards  sinfid 
man.  This  he  showed  forth  in  his  patience  towards  Paul, 
a  great  example  of  his  merciful  nature,  for  a  pattern  to 
them  who  should  hereafter  believe  on  him.  1  Tim.  1  :  16. 
The  long-suffering  of  God  is  a  special  part  of  his  revealed 
glory  ;  and  therefore  when  Moses  desired  a  sight  of  his  glory, 
he  proclaims  his  name,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful 
and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  81 

truth."  Exod.  34  :  6.  He  would  have  sinners  look  towards 
him  as  a  God  willing  to  be  reconciled,  a  God  that  retains 
not  his  anger  for  ever  ;  but  if  sinners  will  take  hold  of  his 
strength  and  make  peace  with  him,  they  may  have  peace. 
Isa.  27:5.  This  long-suffering  is  an  attribute  very  ex- 
pressive of  the  divine  nature ;  he  is  wilHng  sinners  should 
know,  whatever  their  provocations  have  been,  that  there  is 
room  for  pardon  and  peace,  if  they  will  yet  come  in  to 
accept  the  terms.  This  patience  is  a  diadem  belonging  to 
the  imperial  crown  of  heaven;  the  Lord  glories  in  it,  as 
peculiar  to  himself:  "  I  will  not  execute  the  fierceness  of 
mine  anger;  for  I  am  God,  and  not  man."  Hos.  11  :  9. 
As  though  he  had  said,  "  Had  I  been  as  man,  the  holiest, 
meekest,  and  most  mortified  upon  earth,  I  had  consumed 
them  long  ago;  but  'I  am  God,  and  not  man  :'  my  patience 
is  above  all  created  patience ;  no  husband  can  bear  with  his 
wife,  no  parent  with  his  child,  as  I  have  borne  with  you." 
This  is  one  reason  of  Christ's  waiting  upon  trifling  sinners, 
to  give  proof  of  his  gracious,  merciful,  and  reconcilable  na- 
ture towards  the  worst  of  men. 

2.  The  Lord  exercises   this   patience   towards  sinners, 
thereby  to  lead  them  to  rejpentance  ;  this  is  the  direct  inten- 
tion of  it.     The  Lord  desires  and  delights  to  see  ingenuous 
relentings  and  brokenness  of  heart  for  sin  ;  and  there  is  noth- 
#     ing  like  his  forbearance  and  patience  in  promoting  such  an 
/      evangelical  repentance.     All  the  terrors  of  the  law  will  not 
7      break  the  heart  of  a  sinner,  as  the  patience  and  long-suffer- 
ing of  God  will;  therefore  it  is  said  that  the  goodness,  for- 
bearance, and  long-suffering  of  God,  lead  men  to  repent- 
ance.    Rom.  2  :  4.     These  are  fitted  to  work  upon  all  the 
principles  of  humanity  which  incline  men  to  repentance ; 
reason,  conscience,  gratitude,  feel  the  influences  of  the  good- 
j      ness  of  God  herein,  and  melt  under  it.     Thus  Saul's  heart  re- 
1     lented  :  "  Is  this  thy  voice,  my  son  David  ?  and  Saul  lifted  up 
j     his  voice  and  wept.     And  he  said  to  David,  Thou  art  more 


82  CHRIST  KNOCIvINCt  AT   THE   DOOR. 

righteous  than  I  ;  for  tliou  hast  rewarded  nie  good,  whereas 
I  have  rewarded  thee  evil."  1  Sam.  24  :  16,  17.  Thus  the 
goodness  and  forbearance  of  God  doth,  as  it  were,  take  a 
sinner  by  the  hand,  lead  him  into  a  corner,  and  say,  "  Come, 
let  us  talk  together  ;  thus  and  thus  vile  hast  thou  been,  and 
thus  and  thus  long-sufiering  and  merciful  has  God  been  to 
thee  ;  thy  heart  has  been  full  of  sin,  the  heart  of  thy  God 
has  been  full  of  pity  and  mercy."  This  dissolves  the  sinner 
into  tears,  and  breaks  his  heart  in  pieces.  If  any  thing 
will  melt  a  hard  heart,  this  will  do  it,  0  how  good  has 
God  been  to  me.  How  have  I  tried  his  patience  to  the 
uttermost,  and  still  he  waits  to  be  gracious,  and  is  exalted 
that  he  may  have  compassion.  The  sobs  and  tears,  the  in- 
genuous relentings  of  a  sinner's  heart,  under  the  apprehen- 
sions of  the  sparing  mercy  and  goodness  of  God,  are  the 
music  of  heaven. 

3.  The  Lord  exercises  this  long-buffering  toivards  sin- 
ners, to  clear  his  justice  in  the  damnation  of  all  obsti?iate 
refusers  of  Christ  a7id  mercy.  Christ  waits  at  our  doors 
now,  that  he  may  be  clear  in  his  sentence  against  us  here- 
after. This  patience  of  Christ  takes  away  all  pleas  out  of 
the  mouths  of  impenitent  sinners ;  the  more  Christ's  patience 
has  been,  the  less  defence  they  will  have  for  themselves. 

Think  with  thyself,  sinner,  what  wilt  thou  answer  in  the 
great  day,  when  Christ  shall  say,  "Did  I  not  stand  at  thy 
door  from  day  to  day,  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  from  year  to 
year,  calling  and  persuading  thee  to  be  reconciled  and^  ac- 
cept pardon  and  mercy  in  the  proper  season  of  them,  and 
thou  would  est  not  ?  "I  gave  her  space  to  repent,  and  she 
repented  not."  Rev.  2:21.  The  Lord  gives  you  time  now, 
a  space  for  repentance,  such  a  space  as  millions  of  souls, 
gone  into  a  miserable  eternity,  never  had.  With  whomso- 
ever Christ  has  been  quick  and  severe,  surely  he  hath  not 
been  so  with  you.  This  time  of  Christ's  patience  will  be 
evidence  enough  to  clear  him  and  condemn  you  ;  men  and 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  83 

angels  shall  applaud  the  sentence,  dreadful  as  it  is,  and  say, 
"  Righteous  art  thou,  0  Lord,  in  judging  thus." 

4.  The  Lord  exercises  his  admirable  patience  towards  sin- 
ners ^or  the  continuation  and  increase  of  the  church.  The 
church  must  be  continued  and  enlarged  from  age  to  age  ; 
and  if  God  should  cut  off  sinners  as  soon  as  they  provoke 
him,  whence  should  the  elect  of  God  rise  in  this  world  ? 
Many  that  will  heartily  embrace  Christ,  must  be  the  descend- 
ants of  such  as  reject  him.  If  God  should  cut  off  these  in 
the  beginning  of  their  provocations,  how  would  the  church 
be  continued  ?  "Where  had  good  Abijah  and  Hezekiah  been, 
if  wicked  Jeroboam  and  Ahaz  had  been  cut  off  in  their  first 
transgressions?  The  Lord  suffers  many  wicked  parents  to 
stand  for  a  time  under  his  patience,  because  children  are  to 
spring  from  them  who  will  obey  and  embrace  Christ  whom 
their  wicked  parents  rejected.  Yea,  the  wicked  not  only 
propagate  the  church,  but  are  useful  to  preserve  and  defend 
it ;  as  the  chaff  is  a  defence  to  the  wheat :  "  The  earth  helped 
the  woman."     E-ev.  12  :  16. 

5.  The  Lord  exercises  this  long-suffering  towards  sinners, 
in  gracious  condescension  to  the  i^rayers  of  his  jjcoiile.  Ex- 
cept the  Lord  of  hosts  had  left  unto  us  a  very  small  remnant, 
we  should  have  been  as  Sodom,  and  we  should  have  been 
like  unto  Gomorrah.  Isa.  1:9.  The  prayers  and  interces- 
sions of  the  saints  are  a  screen  between  wicked  men  and 
the  wrath  of  God  for  a  time.  The  innocent  preserve  the 
island.  Job  22  :  30.  The  world  stands  by  the  prayers  of 
the  saints  ;  what  multitudes  of  rebellious,  Christ-despising 
sinners  swarm  in  every  part  of  this  nation  I  Such  declare, 
by  their  open  practice,  that  they  will  not  have  Christ  to  reign 
over  them  ;  they  noAV  contemn  his  offers,  and  despise  his 
messengers  ;  but  blessed  be  God,  yea,  and  let  them  bless  him 
too,  there  are  others  praying  to  the  Lord  for  them,  beseech- 
ing his  forbearance  towards  them.  Little  do  the  wicked 
know  how  much  they  are  beholden  to  the  prayers  of  the 


84  CHRIST  IvNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

saints.  These  and  such  like  reasons  prevail  with  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  stand  in  a  waiting  posture  at  the  door  of  sinners' 
hearts.  Ah,  how  loath  is  he  to  give  them  up.  "We  now 
proceed  to  the  uses  of  this  doctrine. 

And  first,  this  point  will  be  very  fruitful  for  information 
of  our  understandings  in  several  great  and  useful  points,  both 
doctrinal  and  practical,  wherein  every  soul  is  deeply  con- 
cerned ;  and  therefore,  I  beseech  you,  let  them  be  heard  and 
pondered  with  an  answerable  attention  and  seriousness  of 
spirit. 

Inference  1.  If  the  Lord  Jesus  exercises  such  admirable 
patience,  the7i  hoiv  much  better  is  it  for  sinners  to  be  in  the 
hands  of  Christ,  tJian  in  the  hands  of  the  holiest  man  in 
the  icorld.  0  sinner,  it  is  better  for  thee  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  meek  and  merciful  Jesus,  than  into  the  hands 
of  the  dearest  friend  thou  hast  on  earth  :  no  creature  can 
bear  what  Christ  bears — no  patience  is  like  the  patience  of 
Christ.  It  is  said  of  Moses,  "  Now  the  man  Moses  was  very 
meek,  above  all  the  men  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth."  Numb.  12  :  3.  There  was  never  such  a  man  born 
into  the  world,  for  patience,  meekness,  and  long-suflering,  as 
Moses  was  ;  and  yet  this  mirror  of  meekness  could  not  bear 
the  provocations  of  Israel :  "  Ye  rebels,"  saith  he,  "  must 
we  fetch  water  out  of  this  rock  ?"  Numb.  20  :  10.  Thus 
was  his  spirit  ruffled  with  the  provocations  of  Israel,  and 
this  lost  him  the  land  of  Canaan.  Jonah  was  a  good  man, 
a  prophet  of  the  Lord  ;  yet  because  the  Lord  would  not  be 
so  quick  and  severe  with  Nineveh  as  Jonah  had  predicted, 
in  what  uncomely  language  does  his  angry  soul  speak  to 
his  God  :  "  0  Lord,  was  not  this  my  saying,  when  I  was 
yet  in  my  country  ?  Therefore  I  fled  before  unto  Tarshish ; 
for  I  knew  that  thou  art  a  gracious  God,  and  merciful,  slow 
to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness,  and  repentest  thee  of  the 
evil.  Therefore  now,  0  Lord,  take,  I  beseech  thee,  my  life 
from  me  ;  for  it  is  better  for  me  to  die  than  to  live."     Jonah 


■  ■'^^ 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  85 

4  :  2,  3.  As  if  he  had  said,  "Ah,  Lord,  I  knew  it  would 
come  to  this ;  I  knew  thy  gracious  nature,  how  inclined  thou 
art  to  mercy,  and  that  upon  the  first  appearance  of  their 
repentance  thou  wouldst  repent  of  the  evil,  and  so  free-grace 
_ would  make  me  seem  as  a  deceiver  among  them." 

Give  me  leave  to  speak  a  higher  word  than  all  this,  and 
let  it  not  seem  strange,  that  the  patience  of  the  glorified 
saints  in  heaven  is  nothing  to  the  patience  of  Christ  towards 
provoking  sinners  upon  earth.  Those  glorified  souls,  though 
they  have  patience  among  other  graces,  perfected  in  its  kind, 
still  it  is  but  finite  patience  and  cannot  bear  what  Christ's 
patience  bears.  Take  an  instance  of  it  out  of  Rev.  6:9,  10, 
11  :  "I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were 
slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which  they 
held  ;  and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How  long, 
0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our 
blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And  it  was  said 
unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  for  a  little  season."  Here 
you  see  glorified  souls  less  able  to  bear  the  slow  pace  of  jus- 
tice towards  their  enemies,  than  Christ  was.  There  was  no 
sinful  impatience,  but  yet  a  patience  short  of  Christ's  infinite 
patience.  Ah,  if  you  were  to  depend  on  the  patience  of  any 
creature  in  heaven  or  earth,  you  had  worn  it  out  lono*  ao-o. 

'J  CD 

"  I  will  not  execute  the  fierceness  of  mine  anger;  for  I  am 
God,  and  not  man."  It  is  well  that  we  have  to  do  with 
God :  "  If  a  man  find  his  enemy,  will  he  let  him  go  well 
away  ?"  1  Sam.  24  :  19.  No,  he  will  reckon  with  him 
before  he  parts  with  him.  Sinner,  the  Lord  finds  thee  daily 
in  thy  sins,  and  yet  allows  thee  to  go ;  yet  beware  thou  try 
not  his  patience  too  far,  lest  vengeance  overtake  thee  at  last, 
and  pay  the  justice  of  God  with  all  the  arrears  due  to  his 
patience. 

2.  Hence  it  follows,  that  convinced  and  hroken-hearted 
sinners  need  not  be  discouraged  in  going  to  Jesus  Christ 
for  Qiiercij,  seeing   he  exercises  such  ivo7iderfid  iiaticnce 


86  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

toicarch  obstinate  and  refusing  sinners.  This  inference 
breathes  the  pure  gospel ;  it  is  a  cordial  to  cheer  the  heart 
that  is  moving  towards  Christ  with  fear  and  trembling.  It 
is  a  great  artifice  of  Satan,  to  daunt  and  discourage  poor  con- 
vinced sinners  by  telling  them  there  is  no  hope  of  mercy  for 
them  ;  that  they  shall  find  the  arms  of  mercy  closed  ;  that 
the  time  of  mercy  is  now  past,  and  they  come  too  late.  0 
how  busy  is  Satan  with  such  suggestions  as  these  in  many 
of  your  souls.  But  I  am  instructed  to  tell  you  that  these  are 
but  the  artifices  of  the  enemy  :  you  are  going  to  the  fountain 
of  mercy,  patience,  goodness,  and  long-sufiering ;  go  on,  and 
you  shall  find  abundantly  more  than  you  expect.  He  will 
not  cast  off  a  soul  that  comes  mourning  and  panting  towards 
him,  and  is  willing  to  subscribe  the  gospel-articles  of  recon- 
ciliation. No,  he  will  not  shut  out  such  a  soul,  whatever 
its  rebellions  and  provocations  have  been.  Sinner,  thou  art 
going  to  the  meek  and  merciful  Jesus,  who  has  said,  "  Come 
unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me ;  for 
I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart."  Matt.  11 :  28,  29.  You 
are  going  to  meekness  and  mercy  itself:  he  is  "  the  Lamb  of 
God,"  that  is  his  name.  Go  on  then,  trembling  sinner;  do 
not  stand  any  longer  inquiring,  shall  I,  shall  I  ?  but  make  a 
bold  and  necessary  venture  of  faith  ;  try  him  once,  and  then 
report  what  you  find  him  to  be.  Certainly,  if  he  exercises 
such  patience  as  he  does  towards  the  vessels  of  wrath  while 
they  are  fitting  for  destruction,  Rom.  9  :  22,  he  will  not 
want  patience  for  a  vessel  of  mercy,  preparing  by  humiliation 
and  faith  for  Christ  and  glory.  Does  he  bear  with  those 
that  stand  in  defiance,  and  will  he  fall  on  those  that  are 
mourning  before  him  upon  the  knee  of  submission  ?  Shall 
a  condemned  sinner,  who  is  preparing  for  hell,  find  so  much 
forbearance,  and  a  poor  broken-hearted  sinner  none?  It 
camiot  be.  If  Jesus  Christ  bore  with  thee  when  thy  heart 
was  hard  as  a  rock,  and  would  not  shed  one  tear  for  sin,  will 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITINa.  87 

he  execute  his  wrath  upon  thee,  and  show  thee  no  mercy, 
when  thy  heart  is  broken  to  pieces  with  sorrow,  and  jGilled 
with  loathing  and  detestation  against  sin,  and  thyself  for  sin  ? 
Did  he  bear  with  thee  when  sin  was  thy  delight ;  and  will 
he  destroy  thee  now  it  is  thy  burden  ?     It  cannot  be. 

Moreover,  if  the  Lord  Jesus  were  not  willing  to  show 
mercy  to  thy  soul,  now  that  thine  eyes  are  opened  and  thy 
heart  touched  to  the  quick,  why  has  he  foreborne  the  execu- 
tion of  his  wrath  so  long  ?  He  might  have  taken  his  own 
time  to  cut  thee  off;  he  might  have  made  any  day  the  exe- 
cution-day. But  among  all  the  days  of  thy  life,  the  day  of 
thy  humiliation,  the  day  of  thy  faith,  is  not  likely  to  prove 
that  day. 

Again,  as  great  and  vile  sinners  as  thyself  have  ventured 
upon  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  found  it  infinitely  beyond  their 
expectation.  These  the  Lord  Jesus  has  set  forth  as  encour- 
aging examples  to  all  broken-hearted  sinners  coming  after ; 
that  they,  seeing  how  it  fared  with  those  who  went  before 
them  to  Christ,  may  be  encouraged  to  go  to  him  with  more 
confidence.  "  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ 
might  show  forth  all  long-suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them 
which  should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting." 
1  Tim.  1:16.  Then  shut  your  ears  against  all  the  whispers 
of  Satan  :  entertain  no  evil  reports  of  Christ.  Satan  loves  to 
draw  a  false  picture  of  Christ,  and  represent  him  in  the 
most  discouraging  form  to  trembling  sinners ;  but  you  will 
not  find  him  so.  What  can  Christ  say  more  to  convince  and 
satisfy  souls  than  he  has  done  ?  He  has  left  the  bosom  of 
the  Father,  he  has  entered  into  union  with  thy  nature,  he  has 
poured  out  his  soul  unto  death ;  he  has  told  us,  that  he  will 
in  nowise  cast  out  those  that  come  unto  him.  Thousands 
have  gone  before  us  in  the  paths  of  repentance  and  faith,  and 
found  it  according  to  his  word  ;  you  have  been  spared  all 
your  life  to  this  day  of  mercy.  0  do  not  stand  off'  now  upon 
such  weak  objections. 


88     -  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

3.  The  long-suffering  of  Christ  toivards  sinners  teaches 
his  ministers  to  imitate  their  Lord  in  "patience  and  long- 
suffering.  Christ  is  our  pattern  of  patience  ;  if  he  Avait, 
much  more  may  we.  We  think  it  much  to  stand  from  Sab- 
bath to  Sabbath,  pleading  and  inviting,  and  are  apt  to  be 
discouraged  when  we  see  no  fruit  follow.  The  want  of  suc- 
cess is  apt  to  cast  us  under  Jeremiah's  temptation,  to  speak 
no  more  in  his  name,  and  make  us  lament  with  Isaiah  that 
we  have  labored  in  vain.  It  is  a  hard  case  to  study,  pray, 
and  preach,  and  see  all  our  labors  without  fruit.  It  is  not 
so  much  the  toil  as  the  returning  of  our  labors  upon  us  in 
vain,  that  discourages  our  hearts.  Ministers  would  not  die  so 
fast,  says  Mr.  Lockyer  on  Colossians,  nor  be  grey-headed  so 
soon,  did  they  see  the  fruits  of  their  labors  upon  their  people. 
But  let  us  look  to  our  Pattern  in  the  text.  "  Behold,  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock."  If  the  master  wait,  let  not  the  servant 
be  weary  :  "  The  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive  ;  but 
be  gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to  teach,  patient ;  in  meekness 
instructing  those  that  oppose  themselves  ;  if  Grod  j^eradven- 
ture  will  give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the 
truth."     2  Tim.  2  :  24,  25. 

Though  the  beginning  be  small,  our  latter  end  may 
greatly  increase.  Though  we  now  fish  with  hooks,  and  take 
but  now  one  and  then  another,  the  time  may  come,  and  we 
hope  it  is  at  the  door,  when  we  shall  spread  our  nets  and 
inclose  multitudes.  Aretius,  a  pious  divine,  comforteth  him- 
self thus,  under  the  unsuccessfulness  of  his  labors :  "  Perhaps 
future  days  will  afford  more  tractable  spirits  and  easier  tem- 
pers of  mind  than  our  present  times  give."  Besides,  the 
fruit  of  our  labors  may  spring  up  to  a  blessed  harvest  when 
we  are  gone :  "  One  soweth,  and  another  reapeth,"  John 
4  :  37  ;  but  if  not,  our  reward  will  not  be  measured  by  the 
success,  but  by  the  sincerity  of  our  designs  and  labors.  Our 
zeal  for  the  conversion  of  souls  to  Christ  will  be  accepted, 
but  our  discouragement  in  his  service  will  certainly  displease 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING-.  89 

liini.  If  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  Ave  be  glorious  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  However,  let  this  be  a  caution  to  you 
that  hear,  that  you  cast  not  our  souls  under  such  discourage- 
ments. If  I  may  speak  the  sense  of  otliers  from  my  ov^ai 
experience,  I  can  assure  you  that  the  fixedness  of  your  hearts 
in  the  M^ays  of  sin,  and  your  untractableness  to  the  calls  of 
God,  are  a  greater  burden  and  discouragement  to  ministers 
than  all  the  sufferings  they  meet  with  from  the  world ;  yet 
are  they  contented  to  pray  and  preach  m  hope,  encouraging 
themselves — the  Lord  grant  it  be  not  without  ground — that 
a  crop  shall  yet  spring  up,  which  shall  make  the  harvest-men 
rejoice. 

4.  From  the  'patience  and  long-suffering  of  Christ,  ive 
may  lear7i  the  invaluable  2^^'^cious7iess  of  souls,  and  the 
high  esteem  Christ  has  for  than.  Though  your  souls  be 
cheap  in  your  own  eyes,  and  you  are  contented  to  sell  them 
for  a  trifle,  for  a  little  sensual  pleasure  and  ease,  yet  cer- 
tainly Jesus  Christ  has  a  high  estimate  of  them,  else  he 
would  never  stand  knocking  with  such  importunity,  and 
waiting  with  such  wonderful  patience  for  their  salvation. 
Christ  knows  their  worth,  though  you  do  not ;  he  accounts, 
and  so  should  you,  one  of  your  souls  of  more  worth  than  the 
whole  world.  Matt.  16  :  26.  The  soul  of  the  poorest  child 
or  meanest  servant  is  of  greater  value  in  Christ's  eye,  than 
the  whole  world ;  and  he  has  given  three  great  evidences 
of  it. 

(1.)  That  he  thought  it  worth  his  blood  to  redeem  and 
save  it.  "Ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things, 
as  silver  and  gold  ;  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ." 
1  Pet.  1  :  18,  19.  Had  they  not  been  precious  in  his  eyes, 
he  would  never  have  shed  his  most  precious  blood  to  ransom 
them. 

(2.)  Were  they  not  highly  valuable  in  his  eyes,  he  would 
never  wait  with  such  unwearied  patience  to  save  them.  He 
has  borne  thousands  of  repulses  and  unreasonable  denials 


90  CHRIST   KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

from  you.  Sinner,  Christ  has  knocked  at  thy  door  in  many 
a  sermon,  in  many  a  prayer,  in  many  a  sickness — in  all 
which  thou  hast  denied  him  or  delayed  him ;  yet  still  he  con- 
tinues knocking  and  waiting.  Thou  couldst  not  have  made 
the  poorest  beggar  in  the  Avorld  wait  at  thy  door  so  long  as 
thy  Redeemer  has  been  made  to  wait,  and  yet  he  is  not 
gone  ;  at  this  day  his  voice  sounds  in  thine  ears,  "  Behold,  I 
stand  at  the  door  and  knock."  Here  is  clear  demonstration 
of  the  preciousness  of  thy  soul  in  the  Redeemer's  eyes. 
And  then, 

(3.)  "When  Christ  ends  the  treaty,  and  gives  up  the  souls 
of  men  for  lost,  with  what  sorrow  does  he  part  with  them. 
Never  did  one  friend  part  from  another  with  such  demonstra- 
tions of  sorrow  as  Christ  parts  with  the  souls  of  sinners. 
The  bowels  of  his  compassion  roll  together ;  for  he  knows 
what  is  coming  upon  them,  and  what  that  eternal  misery  is 
into  which  their  wilful  rejection  of  him  will  cast  them.  You 
read  of  the  Redeemer's  tears  shed  over  the  obstinate  inhab- 
itants of  Jerusalem  :  "  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he 
belield  the  city  and  wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst 
known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong  unto  thy  peace  !  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes." 
Luke  19:41,  42.  Like  unto  this  is  that  expression,  Isa. 
1  :  24,  "  Ah,  I  will  ease  me  of  mine  adversaries,  and  avenge 
me  of  mine  enemies."  Though,  it  be  an  ease  to  his  justice, 
yet  he  cannot  give  them  up  without  an  *'  Ah,"  an  interjection 
of  sorrow;  so  in  Hos.  11  :  8,  "How  shall  I  give  thee  up, 
Ephraim  ?  How  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel?"  I  must  do 
it,  but  how  shall  I  go  about  it  ?  All  these  expressions  show 
the  great  value  God  has  for  your  souls  ;  and  did  you  know 
ijt  also,  you  would  not  make  Christ  wait  one  hour  longer. 

5.  Hence  it  follows,  that  greater  is  the  sin,  and  severer 
will  be  the  condemnation  of  them  that  i^erish  under  the 
gospel,  than  of  all  others.  Let  me  speak  freely  to  you  of 
this.      Jesus  Christ  has  spent  more  of  the  riches  of  his 


HIS  PATIENT  VvTAITINa.  91 

patience  upon  you  in  one  year,  yea,  in  this  very  day,  than 
he  has  spent  upon  the  heathen  in  all  their  lives.  They 
never  heard  of  Christ  and  the  great  salvation — they  have 
had  no  calls  to  faith  and  repentance  as  you  have  had  ;  do 
not  think  God  has  dealt  in  this  wnj  with  other  nations. 
You  have  his  Sabbaths,  ministers,  calls ;  "  He  hath  not  dealt 
so  with  any  nation  ;  and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not 
known  them."  Psalm  147  :  20.  God  has  dealt  in  a  pecu- 
liar way  with  us,  and  these  special  favors  will  make  dread- 
ful accounts.  He  told  the  Jews,  among  whom  he  had 
preached  and  wi'ought  his  miracles,  it  would  be  more  toler- 
able for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than 
for  them ;  and  in  his  name  I  will  tell  you  this  day,  that 
barbarous  Indians  will  have  a  milder  hell  than  you.  The 
Lord  told  Ezekiel,  "  Thou  art  not  sent  to  a  people  of  a 
strange  speech  and  of  a  hard  language,  whose  words  thou 
canst  not  understand.  Surely,  had  I  sent  thee  to  them,  they 
would  have  hearkened  unto  thee.  But  the  house  of  Israel 
will  not  hearken  unto  thee  ;  for  they  will  not  hearken  unto 
me  :  for  all  the  house  of  Israel  are  impudent  and  hard-heart- 
ed."    Ezek.  3  : 5-7. 

Ah,  had  a  heathen  people  had  your  Sabbaths,  your  min- 
isters, and  Bibles,  they  would  not  have  dealt  by  Christ  as 
you  have  done.  But  look  you  to  it,  for  certainly  the  severity 
of  his  justice  will  at  last  recompense  the  expense  of  his 
patience.  There  are  two  glasses  turned  up  this  day,  and 
both  are  almost  run  down  :  the  glass  of  the  gospel  running 
down  on  earth,  and  the  glass  of  Christ's  patience  running 
down  in  heaven.  Be  sure  of  it,  that  for  every  sand  of 
mercy,  every  drop  of  love  that  runs  down  in  vain  in  this 
world,  a  drop  of  wrath  runs  into  the  vial  of  wrath  which  is 
filling  up  in  heaven. 

6.  If  Christ  hath  exe^xised  such  iconderful  patience 
and  long-suffering  towards  you,  before  he  could  gain  en- 
trance into  your  hearts,  then  you  Jiave  reason  to  exercise 


92  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

your  imtience  for  Christ,  and  accoiuit  all  long-sujfcring 
to  be  your  unquestionable  duty.  Christ  was  not  weary  in 
waiting  upon  you,  be  not  you  weary  in  waiting  upon  him, 
or  for  him.  There  are  three  things  wherein  the  people  of 
God  will  have  much  occasion  to  exercise  their  patience  with 
respect  to  Christ. 

(1.)  You  will  need  patience  to  wait  for  the  ansivers  of 
your  'prayers  :  you  knock  and  wait  at  the  door  of  mercy, 
and  no  answer  comes  ;  hereupon  discouragement  and  weari- 
ness seize  your  spirits.  Possibly  some  of  you  have  prayers 
many  years  gone  upon  the  file  in  heaven,  some  upon  spiritual 
accounts  and  some  upon  temporal ;  and  because  the  answer 
is  not  sent,  your  eyes  are  ready  to  fail  with  waiting  :  for 
the  Lord  may  bear  long  with  his  own  elect.  Luke  18:7. 
The  seed  of  prayer  lies  under  the  clods,  and  will  at  last 
spring  up.  He  never  said  to  the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me 
in  vain.  Isa.  45  :  19.  None  seek  God  in  vain,  but  those 
who  seek  him  vainly.  You  should  not  be  too  short-breathed 
in  waiting  on  God  for  the  returns  of  prayer,  considering  how 
long  you  made  Christ  wait  on  you. 

(2.)  You  will  have  occasion  to  exercise  your  patience  in 
hearing  the  burden  of  reproaches  and  sufferings  for  Christ. 
"  For  unto  you  it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only 
to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake."  Phil. 
1  :  29.  Sufferings,  you  see,  are  the  gift  of  Christ;  the  com- 
fort of  suffermg  is  his  gift,  and  so  is  the  ability  to  suffer  also ; 
and  that  which  will  increase  your  suffering  ability,  will  be 
the  consideration  of  Christ's  long  suffering  towards  you,  and 
the  hard  things  he  endured  for  you  and  from  you. 

(3.)  You  will  have  occasion  to  exercise  your  patience 
for  the  day  of  your  complete  redeniptio7i  and  salvation. 
If  you  love  Christ  fervently,  the  time  of  your  separation  from 
him  will  be  borne  with  difficulty  ;  vehement  love  needs  the 
allay  of  patience.  *'  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the 
love  of  God,   and   into   the   patient   waiting   for   Christ." 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITIXa.  93 

2  Thess.  3  :  5.  Others  need  patience  to  die,  but  you  will 
need  as  much  patience  to  live  ;  but  wherever  the  exercise  of 
your  patience  shall  be,  whether  in  waithig  for  the  returns  of 
your  prayers,  in  bearing  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  in  waiting 
for  the  day  of  your  complete  redemption  and  enjoyment  of 
Christ,  this  single  consideration,  that  Christ  stood  and  waited 
so  long  on  you,  is  enough  to  fortify  your  patience  against  all 
the  difficulties  it  can  encounter. 

7.  Jf  Christ  thus  patiently  ivait  upon  trifling  and 
obstinate  sinners,  then  let  no  godly  persons  he  disccmraged 
because  their  unregenerate  relatives  have  not  yet  made  their 
first  step  towards  Christ,  in  the  way  of  repentance  and 
faith.  It  may  be  you  have  laid  up  a  stock  of  prayers  for 
them  :  the  behevmg  husband  has  prayed  for  his  unbelieving 
wife,  and  the  beheving  wife  for  her  unbelieving  husband ; 
godly  parents  for  their  ungodly  cliildren,  and  the  pious  child 
for  his  ungodly  parents  ;  and  yet  no  returns  of  prayer  appear. 
Many  cries  are  gone  up  to  heaven  like  that  of  Abraham,  "  0 
that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee."  Gen.  17:18.  Be 
not  discouraged,  Christ  waits,  and  therefore  well  may  you. 
Those  cries  of  parents,  "  Lord,  my  poor  child  is  in  the  state 
of  nature,  look  in  mercy  upon  him,  open  his  eyes,  break  his 
heart  for  sin,  draw  his  will  to  Christ,"  may  not  be  lost, 
though  the  fruit  of  them  yet  appear  not.  Consider  how  long 
Christ  waited  on  you.  There  are  three  things  that  encour- 
age hope. 

(1.)  That  your  hearts  and  theirs  were  of  the  same  nat- 
ural character;  and  the  same  power  which  opened  your 
hearts,  can  open  theirs  :  thy  understanding  was  once  as  dark, 
thy  heart  as  hard,  and  thy  will  as  inflexible  as  thy  relatives' 
now  are.  The  same  hand  that  opened  thy  heart  can  open 
theirs.  Do  not  thuik  Christ  had  an  easier  task  to  win  thy 
heart  than  he  will  have  to  win  theirs.  Almighty  powder 
wrought  upon  you,  and  the  same  power  can  work  effectually 
upon  them  ;  "the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened,  that  it  can- 


94  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt  AT   THE   DOOR. 

not    save ;    neither  his  ear  heavy,   that  it   cannot   hear." 
Isa.  59  :1. 

(2.)  You  have  reason  to  wait,  as  it  is  probable  you  your- 
selves have  put  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  of  their  souls  to 
Christ,  and  hindered  the  ansM'ers  to  your  own  prayers  for  the 
conversion  of  your  relatives.  0  Christians,  there  is  more 
due-  to  them  than  your  prayers — prayers  must  be  accom- 
panied with  example  ;  had  they  not  only  heard  your  cries 
to  God  for  them,  but  seen  your  suitable  encouraging  example 
set  before  them  also,  you  and  they  might  have  rejoiced 
together  long  ago.     But, 

(3.)  Consider  that  God  many  times  makes  the  fruit  of 
such  prayers  to  spring  up  after  those  that  sowed  them  are 
dead  and  gone.  The  Lord  may  give  life  to  your  prayers 
when  you  are  dead  :  certainly  your  prayers  die  not  with  you. 
It  is  the  opinion  of  some  that  Paul's  conversion  was  the 
return  of  Stephen's  prayer,  "  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge."  Acts  7  :  60.  Stephen  died,  but  his  prayers  lived, 
and  were  answered  upon  one  that  stood  by  and  consented  to 
his  death.  But  however  it  be,  wait  still  upon  God ;  if 
your  prayers  come  not  into  their  bosoms,  they  will  certainly 
return  into  your  own.  Here  is  duty  discharged,  and  love  to 
Christ  and  their  souls  manifested,  which  will  be  your  com- 
fort, however  God  dispose  the  event. 

But  further,  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  patience  puts  a 
great  and  serious  exhortation  into  my  mouth,  to  press  one 
of  the  greatest  duties.  And  could  I  deliver  this  exhortation 
to  you  upon  my  knees,  with  tears  of  blood  mingled  with  my 
words,  might  that  prevail,  I  would  surely  do  it. 

8.  My  exhortation  is  to  all  that  are  in  an  unregenerate 
state,  that  they  presume  not  to  try  the  patience  of  Christ 
any  longer.  If  you  have  any  regard  to  your  eternal  hap- 
piness, exercise  not  his  patience  another  hour.  0  that  this 
hour  might  put  an  end  to  Christ's  waiting  and  your  dan- 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  95 

ger  !  Hitherto  you  have  wearied  men,  but  will  you  weaiy 
God  also  ?  Christ  has  called,  but  you  have  refused  ;  he  has 
stretched  out  his  hands,  but  you  have  not  regarded.  Prov. 
1  :  24.  Your  thoughts  have  been  wandering  after  vanity 
while  the  voice  of  the  gospel  has  been  sounding  in  your 
ears  :  some  of  you  have  been  sottish,  and  incapable  of  appre- 
hending spiritual  truths  ;  others  of  you  sensual,  given  up  to 
the  pleasures  of  the  world,  and  abandoning  all  serious 
thoughts  about  the  world  to  come.  Some  of  you  have 
been  buried  alive  in  the  cares  of  the  world,  and  others 
settled  upon  a  dead  formality  in  religion ;  and  to  this  day 
Christ  hath  called  upon  you  in  vain.  Now  that  which  I 
exhort  you  to  is,  that  you  venture  not  to  try  the  patience  of 
Christ  one  day  longer ;  if  you  have  any  regard  to  the  ever- 
lasting happiness  of  your  souls,  come  not  under  the  guilt 
and  danger  of  one  denial  or  delay  more.  If  you  ask  me, 
Why  may  we  not  venture  a  little  longer  ?  Christ  has  borne 
with  us  all  this  while,  and  will  he  not  bear  a  little  longer  ? 
May  we  not  take  a  little  more  pleasure  in  sin  ?  May  we 
not  hazard  one  sermon  or  Sabbath  more  ?  I  answer,  No. 
If  your  souls  are  precious  in  your  eyes,  let  there  be  no  more 
denials,  nor  delays  to  Christ's  suit.     For, 

(1.)  How  patient  and  long-suffering  soever  Christ  has 
been,  yet  there  will  be  an  end  of  the  day  of  his  imtience — 
a  time  when  he  will  wait  no  longer,  when  his  Spirit  shall 
strive  no  more  with  you.  There  will  be  a  knock  of  Christ 
at  the  heart,  which  will  be  the  last  knock  that  ever  he 
will  give — a  time  when  the  master  of  the  house  will  rise 
up,  and  the  door  be  shut.  Matt.  25  :  10.  You  have  had 
to  do  with  a  meek  and  patient  Saviour ;  but  believe  it; 
sinners,  there  is  a  day  of  "  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb^''  and 
that  day  will  be  dreadful.  Then  will  sinners  cry  "to  the 
mountains  and  rocks.  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the 
face  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  WTath 
of  the  Lamb."     Rev.  6:16.     0  if  this  wrath  be  once  kin- 


96  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE,. 

died,  though  but  a  Uttle  I  Blessed  are  they  that  trust  in 
him,  that  have  finished  their  agreement  with  him.  The 
day  of  Christ's  patience  towards  Jerusalem  was  a  long  day, 
but  it  had  an  end,  and  it  ended  in  their  desolation,  Matt. 
23  :  37  ;  therefore  try  the  patience  of  Christ  no  further  : 
you  know  not  the  limits  of  it ;  it  may  end  with  your  next 
refusal,  and  then  where  are  you  ? 

(2.)  The  longer  Christ  has  exercised  his  patience  already 
towards  you,  the  more  terribly  will  he  avenge  the  abuse  of 
it  upon  you  in  hell.  It  is  past  doubt  with  me,  that  there 
are  different  degrees  of  torment  in  hell :  the  Scriptures  are 
plain  and  clear  on  this  point.  Now,  among  all  the  aggra- 
vations of  the  torments  of  hell,  none  can  be  greater  than 
the  reflections  of  damned  souls  upon  the  abused  patience  and 
grace  of  Christ.  Those  who  had  the  best  means,  the  loudest 
calls,  and  the  longest  day  under  the  gospel,  will  certainly 
have  the  hottest  place  in  hell,  if  the  goodness  and  long- 
suffering  of  Christ  do  not  now  lead  them  to  repentance. 
The  cries  of  such  souls  will  be  heard  above  the  cries  of  all 
other  miserable  wretches  who  are  cast  away.  It  shall  be 
more  tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  than  for  Caperna- 
um. Matt.  11  :  23.  0  friends,  you  little  know  the  reflec- 
tions of  conscience  in  hell  upon  such  hours  as  you  now  enjoy — 
such  wooing,  charming  voices  and  allurements  to  Christ  as 
you  now  hear.  There  are  many  thousands  of  souls  in  hell 
from  the  dark,  heathenish  parts  of  the  world,  where  they 
never  heard  of  Christ ;  but  your  misery  will  be  far  beyond 
theirs,  your  reflections  more  sharp  and  bitter :  therefore 
delay  no  longer,  lest  you  perish  with  peculiar  aggravation 
of  misery. 

(3.)  Try  the  patience  of  Christ  no  further,  I  beseech  you, 
forasmuch  as  you  see  every  day  the  patience  of  Christ  end- 
ing towards  others — patience  retiring,  and  justice  arising  to 
triumph  over  the  abusers  of  mercy.  You  not  only  read  in 
Scripture  the  ending  of  God's  patience  with  men,  but  you 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  97 

may  see  it  every  day.  If  you  look  into  scripture,  you  may 
find  the  patience  of  God  ended  towards  multitudes  of  sin- 
ners, who  possibly  had  the  same  presumptions  and  vain 
hopes  for  the  continuance  of  it  that  you  now  have.  If  you 
look  into  1  Peter,  3  :  19,  20,  you  there  find  that  Christ 
"  went  and  preached  unto  the  spirits  in  prison  ;  which  some- 
time were  disobedient,  when  once  the  long-suffering  of  God 
waited  in  the  days  of  Noah."  The  meaning  of  which  is, 
that  in  the  days  before  the  flood,  Christ  by  his  Spirit  strove 
with  the  disobedient  and  rebellious  sinners  in  the  ministry 
of  Noah,  who  then  were  living  men  and  women  as  we  are, 
but  now  are  "spirits  in  prison,"  that  is,  damned  souls  in 
hell,  for  their  disobedience :  and  truly,  brethren,  you  may 
frequently  behold  the  glass  of  patience  run  down,  the  very 
last  sand  in  it  spent  upon  others.  Whenever  you  see  a 
wicked,  Christless  man  or  woman  die,  you  see  the  end  of 
God's  patience  with  that  man  or  woman  ;  and  all  this  for  a 
warning  to  you,  that  you  venture  not  to  trifle  and  dally 
with  it  as  they  did. 

(4.)  Do  not  try  God's  patience  any  longer,  if  you  love 
your  souls,  for  this  reason  :  because  when  men  grow  bold, 
and  encourage  themselves  in  sin  on  account  of  God's  for- 
bearance and  long-sufTering  towards  them,  there  cannot  be 
a  more  certain  sign  that  his  patience  is  very  near  its  end 
towards  them.  It  is  time  for  God  to  put  an  end  to  his 
patience,  when  it  is  made  an  encouragement  to  sin.  He 
cannot  suffer  so  vile  an  abuse  of  his  patience,  nor  endure  to 
see  it  turned  into  wantonness.  This  quickly  brings  up  sin 
to  its  finishing  act,  and  then  patience  is  just  fmishing  also. 
That  patience  is  thus  abused,  appears  from  Eccl.  8:11: 
"  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed 
speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set 
in  them  to  do  evil."  When  divine  patience  is  thus  abused, 
look  for  a  sudden  change.  0  therefore  beware  of  provok- 
ing God,  for  now  the  day  of  patience  is  certainly  near  its 

Christ  Knocking.  0 


98  CHRIST  KNOCKINQ  AT  THE   DOOR. 

end  with  sinners.  "Because  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused; 
I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  :  hut 
ye  have  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel,  and  would  none  of 
my  reproof :  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh  :  when  your  fear  cometh  as  desola- 
tion, and  your  destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind."  Prov. 
1  :  24-27.  Ah,  when  sinners  scoff  and  mock  at  the  threat- 
enings  of  God,  and  bear  themselves  up  on  his  patience,  as 
that  which  will  never  break  under  them,  then  look  out  for 
a  whirlwind,  a  sudden  tempest  of  wrath,  which  will  hurry 
such  souls  into  hell.  Then  misery  comes  like  a  storm  blow- 
ing furiously  from  all  quarters.  The  heavens  are  yet  clear 
over  you,  but  a  storm  is  nigh,  and  may  certainly  be  presaged 
from  such  vile  abuses  of  the  glorious  patience  of  Christ 
towards  you.  This  is  the  first  exhortation,  try  not  the 
patience  of  Christ  by  any  further  delays. 

9.  Agai7i,  admire  Christ's  patience  and  forbearance 
until  noiv,  that  he  has  not  cut  you  off  in  sin,  but  brought 
about  your  salvation  by  his  long-suffering  towards  you. 
Here  now  I  must  change  my  voice,  and  turn  it  to  those 
whose  hearts  the  Lord  hath  opened.  Stand  amazed  at  the 
riches  of  his  grace  towards  you,  and  see  that  you  account 
this  long-suffering  of  God  to  be  your  salvation ;  for  in  plain 
truth  it  is  so  :  your  salvation  was  bound  up  in  Christ's  for- 
bearance. If  Christ  had  not  borne  with  you  as  he  did,  you 
had  not  been  where  you  are.  I  could  heartily  wish,  that 
all  the  time  you  can  redeem  from  the  necessary  employ- 
ments you  have  in  the  world,  may  be  spent  m  a  humble, 
thankful  admiration  of  this  wonderful  grace  and  patience  of 
Christ,  and  in  duties  answerable  to  the  intentions  and  ends 
thereof.  To  this  end  I  shall  subjoin  divers  weighty  consid- 
erations, which,  methinks,  should  melt  every  heart  wherein 
the  least  degree  of  saving  grace  is  found. 

(1.)  Bethink  yourselves  oi  the  great  and  maiiifold  'prov- 
ocations you  have  given  the  Lord  to  put  an  end  to  all 


HIS  PATIENT   WAITINa.  99 

further  imtience  toicards  you  ;  not  only  in  the  days  of  your 
unregeneracy,  but  even  since  your  reconciliation  to  him.  Do 
you  not  believe  thousands  of  sinners  are  now  in  the  depths 
of  hell,  who  never  provoked  the  Lord  more  than  you  have 
done  ?  Were  you  not  once  among  the  vilest  of  sinners  ? 
"  And  such  were  some  of  you,"  1  Cor.  6  :  11 — as  vile  as  the 
vilest  among  them ;  yet  you  are  washed  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,  while  your  companions  are  in  the  lowest  hell :  or  if 
your  lives  were  more  clean,  sure  your  hearts  were  as  filthy 
as  theirs.  And  certainly  your  sins,  since  the  time  of  your 
reconciliation,  have  had  special  aggravations  enough  to  put 
an  end  to  all  further  mercies  towards  you.  Light  and  love 
have  aggravated  these  sins,  and  yet  the  Lord  has  not  cast 
you  off. 

(2.)  How  often  have  you  been  on  the  very  brink  of  hell, 
in  the  days  of  your  unregeneracy.  Every  sickness  and 
every  danger  to  life  which  you  have  escaped  in  those  days, 
was  a  marvellous  escape  from  the  everlastmg  wrath  of  God. 
Had  thy  disease  prevailed  one  degree  further,  thou  hadst 
been  past  hope  and  out  of  the  reach  of  mercy's  arm  now. 
Doubtless  some  of  you  can  remember,  when  in  such  and 
such  a  disease,  you  were  like  a  ship  riding  in  a  furious  storm 
by  one  cable,  and  two  or  three  of  the  strands  even  of  that 
cable  were  snapped  asunder.  So  it  has  been  with  you  :  the 
thread  of  life,  how  weak  soever,  has  held  till  the  bonds  of 
union  between  Christ  and  your  souls  were  fastened,  and  the 
eternal  hazard  over.     This  is  admirable  grace. 

(3.)  Hoic  often  has.  death  entered  into  your  houses  and 
taken  aivay  your  Clearest  relatives,  but  had  no  commission 
to  carry  you  out  with  them,  because  the  Lord  had  a  design 
of  mercy  upon  your  soul.  Tliis  cannot  but  affect  a  gracious 
heart,  that  God  should  smite  so  near,  and  yet  spare  you. 

(4.)  This  also  is  affecting,  that  God  has  not  only  given 
you  time  beyond  others,  but  in  that  time  the  precious  op^Jor- 
tunities  and  ineans  of  your  salvation,  both  external  and  in- 


100  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

ternal.  There  is  the  very  marrow  and  kernel  of  the  mercy. 
Had  God  lengthened  out  his  patience  for  a  while,  but  given 
you  no  means  of  salvation,  or  afforded  you  the  means  but 
denied  you  the  blessing  and  efficacy  of  them,  at  the  most  it 
could  have  been  but  a  reprieve  from  hell ;  but  for  the  Lord 
to  give  you  the  gospel,  and  with  the  gospel  to  send  down 
his  Spirit  to  persuade  and  open  thy  heart  to  Christ,  here  is 
the  riches  of  his  goodness  as  well  as  forbearance. 

10.  This  doctrine  of  the  patience  of  Christ  exhorts  all 
who  have  felt  it,  to  exercise  a  Christlike  patience  toivards 
others.  As  you  have  found  the  benefit  of  divine  patience 
yourselves,  see  that  you  exercise  the  meekness  and  long- 
suffering  of  Christians  towards  those  who  have  wronged  and 
injured  you.  "Who  should  show  patience  more  than  those 
who  have  found  it  ?  Do  not  be  severe,  short,  and  quick 
with  others,  who  have  lived  yourselves  so  many  years  upon 
the  long-suffering  of  God.  We  are  poor,  hasty  creatures, 
quick  to  revenge  injuries  ;  but  0,  had  God  been  so  to  us, 
miserable  had  our  condition  been.  Christ  has  made  this 
duty  the  scope  of  that  excellent  parable.  Matt.  18,  from 
verse  23  onward,  where  the  king  takes  an  account  of  his 
servants,  reckoning  with  them  one  by  one,  and  among  them 
finds  one  who  owed  him  ten  thousand  talents  ;  and  having 
nothing  wherewith  to  pay,  his  lord  commands  him,  his  wife 
and  children,  and  all  he  had,  to  be  sold,  and  payment  to  be 
made  ;  but  the  servant  falling  down  and  begging  patience, 
his  lord  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  loosed  him,  and 
not  only  forbore,  but  forgave  the  debt.  One  would  think 
the  heart  of  this  man  would  have  been  a  fountain  of  com- 
passion towards  others ;  but  see  the  deep  corruption  of 
nature  :  the  same  servant  finding  one  of  his  fellow-servants 
who  owed  him  but  a  hundred  pence,  laid  hands  on  him,  and 
took  him  by  the  throat.  Alas,  the  wrongs  done  to  us  are 
but  trifles,  compared  with  the  injuries  we  have  done  to  God  ; 
where  others  have  wronged  you  once,  you  have  wronged  God 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING.  101 

a  thousand  times.  Metliinks  the  patience  of  Christ  towards 
you  should  melt  your  hearts  into  an  ingenuous-  readiness  to 
forgive  others ;  especially,  considering  that  an  unforgiving 
spirit  is  a  dreadful  sign  of  an  unforgiven  person. 

1 1 .  Burden  not  the  'patience  of  Christ  after  your  recon- 
ciliation to  him.  Let  it  suffice  that  you  tried  his  patience 
long  enough  before.  Give  him  no  new  trials  of  it,  now  he 
is  come  to  dwell  in  and  with  you  for  ever.  There  are  two 
ways  wherein  God's  own  people  do  greatly  provoke  him  after 
their  reconciliation. 

(1.)  By  sluggishness  and  deadness  of  spirit  in  duty; 
turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the  calls  and  motions  of  Christ's  Spirit 
exciting  them  to  the  sweet  and  pleasant  duties  of  religion. 
We  have  a  sad  instance  of  this  in  the  bride  :  "It  is  the 
voice  of  my  beloved  that  knocketh,  saying,  Open  to  me,  my 
sister,  my  love,  my  dove,  my  undefiled ;  for  my  head  is 
filled  with  dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night." 
Sol.  Songs,  5:2.  One  would  thmk  that  Christ  might  have 
opened  the  heart  of  his  own  spouse  with  less  solicitation  and 
importunate  arguments  than  he  here  uses.  What  wife 
could  shut  the  door  upon  her  own  husband,  and  bar  him  out 
of  his  own  house  ?  And  yet  see  the  idle  excuse  she  makes. 
"  I  have  put  off  my  coat ;  how  shall  I  put  it  on  ?  I  have 
washed  my  feet ;  how  shall  I  defile  them  ?"     Yer.  3. 

0  the  sluggishness  of  even  regenerate  persons  I '  Those 
who  have  opened  the  door  to  Christ  by  regeneration,  even 
they  do  often  shut  it  against  him  in  the  hours  and  seasons 
of  communion  with  him.  Strange,  that  Christ  should  be 
put  off  while  calling  to  such  pleasant  and  heavenly  exer- 
cises as  communion  with  him ;  but  flesh  will  be  flesh,  even 
in  the  most  spiritual  Christians.  Little  do  we  know  what 
a  grief  this  is  to  Christ,  and  what  a  loss  to  us. 

(2.)  Many  grieve  Christ's  Spirit,  and  sorely  try  his  pa- 
tience, even  after  reconciliation,  hy  sinning  against  light 
and  love.    That  caution,  Eph.  4 :  30,  is  not  without  weighty 


102  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

cause:  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are 
sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

■  -  Do  we  thus  requite  the  Lord  ?  Is  this  the  return  we 
make  for  all  his  kindness  and  unparalleled  love  towards  us  ? 
Certainly,  Christ  can  bear  a  thousand  injuries  from  his  ene- 
mies, easier  than  such  affronts  from  his  own  people.  Did 
you  not  promise  him  better  obedience  ?  Did  you  not  engage 
to  more  holiness  and  watchfulness,  in  the  day  that  you  sued 
out  your  pardon  and  made  your  peace  with  him  ?  Are  all 
those  vows  and  covenants  forgotten  ?  If  you  have  forgotten 
them,  God  hath  not. 

12.  Improve  the  time  that  remains  in  this  tvorld  with 
double  diligence,  because  you  made  Christ  wait  so  long, 
and  cast  away  so  great  a  part  of  your  life,  before  you  opened 
your  hearts  to  receive  him.  The  morning  of  your  life,  which 
was  certainly  the  freshest  and  freest  part  of  it,  was  no 
better  than  time  lost  with  many  of  you ;  all  the  days  of 
your  unregeneracy  Christ  was  shut  out,  and  vanity  shut 
into  your  hearts.  You  never  began  to  live  till  Christ  gave 
you  life,  and  that  was  late  in  the  day  with  many  of  you. 
How  should  this  provoke  to  extraordinary  diligence  in  the 
short  remains  of  time  we  have  yet  to  enjoy.  It  was  Au- 
gustine's lamentation,  "  0  Lord,  it  repents  me  that  I  loved 
thee  so  late."  Tliis  consideration  excited  Paul  to  extraor- 
dinary diligence  for  Christ.  It  made  him  fly  up  and  down 
the  world  like  a  seraph,  in  a  flame  of  holy  zeal  for  Christ. 
Those  who  have  much  to  write,  and  are  almost  come  to  the 
end  of  their  paper,  had  need  write  close.  Friends,  you  have 
something  to  do  for  God  on  earth,  which  you  cannot  do  for 
him  in  heaven.  Isa.  38  :  18,  19.  You  who  have  ungodly 
relatives,  have  something  to  do  for  them  here  which  you 
cannot  do  in  heaven.  You  can  now  counsel,  exhort,  and 
pray,  in  order  to  their  conversion  and  salvation  ;  but  when 
you  are  gone  down  to  the  grave,  these  opportunities  of  ser- 
vice are  cut  off. 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITINa.  103 

13.  Let  us  all  be  ashamed  and  humbled  for  the  base- 
ness of  our  hearts,  which  made  Christ  ivait  at  the  door  so 
lo?tg  before  zve  opened  to  hi??i.  0  what  wretched  hearts 
have  we.  They  are  no  more  afiected  with  the  groans  of 
Christ's  heart  than  with  those  of  a  beast ;  nor  so  much,  if 
that  beast  were  our  own.  0  the  vileness  of  nature,  to  make 
the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  bringing  pardon  and 
salvation  with  him,  stand  so  long  unanswered.  Let  who 
will  cry  up  the  goodness  of  human  nature,  I  am  sure  we 
have  reason  to  look  upon  the  vdeness  of  it  with  amazement 
and  horror. 

14.  Let  us  bless  the  Lord  Jesus  for  tlie  continuation  of 
his  patience,  both  to  ourselves  and  to  the  nation  in  which 
we  live.  The  merciful  and  long-suffermg  Redeemer  con- 
tinues among  us  the  ambassadors  of  his  mercy,  who  proclaim 
liis  readiness  to  pardon  ;  and  with  infinite  compassion  speaks 
to  us  this  day,  as  he  did  to  Ephraim  of  old,  '*  How  shall  I 
deliver  thee  ?"  Look  upon  this  day  of  mercy  as  the  fruit 
of  the  intercession  of  your  great  Advocate  in  heaven.  Luke 
13  :  7-9.  God  has  put  us  upon  one  trial  more  :  if  now  we 
bring  forth  fruit,  well ;  if  not,  the  axe  lies  at  the  root  of 
the  tree.  Once  more  Christ  knocks  at  our  door ;  the  voice 
of  the  bridegroom  is  heard — those  sweet  voices,  "  Come  un- 
to me,"  "  Open  to  me."  Your  opening  to  Christ  now,  will 
be  unto  you  as  the  valley  of  Achor,  for  a  door  of  hope. 
Hosea  2  :  15.  But  what  if  all  this  should  be  turned  into 
wantonness  and  formality  I  What  if  your  obstinacy  and 
infidelity  should  wear  out  the  remains  of  that  little  strength 
and  time  left  you,  and  that  former  labors  and  sorrows  have 
left  your  ministers !  Then  we  are  ruined  for  ever :  then 
farewell  gospel,  ministers,  reformation,  because  we  knew 
not  the  time  of  our  visitation.  What  was  the  awful  sen- 
tence of  God  on  the  fruitless  vineyard  ?  "I  will  take  away 
the  hedge  thereof,  and  it  shall  be  eaten  up  ;  and  break  down 
the  wall  thereof,  and  it  shall  be  trodden  down ;  and  I  will 


104  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

lay  it  waste  :  I  will  also  command  the  clouds  that  they  rain 
not  upon  it."  Isa.  5:5,  6.  The  hedge  and  the  wall  are 
the  spiritual  and  providential  presence  of  God ;  these  are 
the  defence  and  safety  of  his  people  :  the  clouds  and  the  rain 
are  the  sweet  influences  of  gospel-ordinances.  If  the  hedge 
be  broken  down,  God's  pleasant  plants  will  soon  be  eaten 
up  ;  and  if  the  clouds  rain  not  upon  them,  their  root  will 
be  rottenness  and  their  blossom  will  go  up  as  dust ;  our 
churches  will  soon  become  as  the  mountains  of  Gilboa ; 
therefore  see  that  you  know  and  improve  the  time  of  your 
visitation. 

I  shall  conclude  this  fourth  doctrine  by  a  few  words  of 
CONSOLATION  to  those  who  have  answered,  and  are  now  pre- 
paring to  answer,  the  design  of  Jesus  Christ  in  all  his  patience 
towards  them,  by  their  compliance  with  his  great  design 
and  end  therein.  0  blessed  be  God,  and  let  his  high  praises 
be  for  ever  in  our  mouths,  that  at  last  Christ  is  like  to 
obtain  his  end  upon  some  of  us,  and  that  all  do  not  receive 
the  grace  of  God  in  vain.  And  there  are  three  considera- 
tions which  will  raise  your  hearts  to  the  height  of  praise,  if 
the  Lord  has  made  them  indeed  willing  to  open  to  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

15.  The  faith  and  obedience  of  your  hearts  make  it 
evident,  that  the  Lord's  ivaiting  on  you  hitherto  has  been 
in  pursuance  of  his  design  of  electing  love.  What  was 
the  reason  God  did  not  take  you  away  by  death,  though 
you  passed  so  often  upon  the  very  brink  of  it,  in  the  days  of 
your  unregeneracy  ?  Surely  this  was  the  reason  :  that  you, 
and  such  as  you,  might  be  brought  to  Christ  at  last.  There- 
fore, though  the  Lord  allowed  you  to  run  on  so  long  in  sin, 
still  he  continued  your  lives  and  the  means  of  your  salva- 
tion, because  he  had  a  design  of  mercy  and  gi-ace  upon  you. 
And  now  the  time  of  mercy,  even  the  set  time,  is  come. 
*'  Praise  ye  the  Lord." 


HIS  PATIENT  WAITING-.  105 

16.  You  may  also  see  the  sovereignity  and  freeness  of  di- 
vine grace  in  your  vocation.  Your  hearts  resisted  all  along 
the  most  powerful  means,  and  the  importunate  calls  of  Christ ; 
and  would  have  resisted  still,  had  not  free  and  sovereign 
grace  prevailed  when  the  time  of  love  was  come.  Ah,  it 
Avas  not  the  tractableness  of  thine  own  will,  or  the  easy- 
temper  of  thy  heart  to  he  wrought  upon ;  the  Lord  let  thee 
stand  long  enough  in  the  state  of  nature  to  prove  that  there 
was  nothing  in  thy  nature  but  obstinacy  and  enmity.  Thou 
didst  hear  as  many  powerful  sermons  and  melting  prayers, 
and  didst  see  as  many  awakening  providences,  before  thy 
heart  was  opened  to  Christ,  as  thou  hast  since,  yet  thy 
heart  never  opened  till  now ;  and  why  did  it  open  now  ? 
Because  now  the  Spirit  of  God  joined  himself  to  the  word  ; 
victorious  grace  went  forth  in  the  word  to  break  the  hard- 
ness and  conquer  the  rebellions  of  thy  heart.  The  gospel 
was  now  preached  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven ;  "which  things,"  says  the  apostle,  "  the  angels  desire 
to  look  into."  1  Pet.  1:12.  Ah,  friends,  it  is  a  glorious  sight, 
worthy  of  angelic  observation  and  admiration,  to  behold  the 
effects  of  the  gospel  preached  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent 
down  from  heaven ;  to  see,  when  the  Spirit  is  present  with 
the  word,  the  blind  eyes  of  sinners  are  opened,  and  they  are 
brought  into  a  new  world  of  ravishing  objects;  to  behold 
fountains  of  tears  flowing  for  sin,  out  of  hearts  lately  as  hard 
as  rocks ;  to  see  all  the  bars  of  ignorance,  prejudice,  custom, 
and  unbelief  fly  open  at  the  voice  of  the  gospel ;  to  see 
rebels  against  Christ  laying  down  their  arms  at  his  feet,  and 
on  the  knees  of  submission  crying,  "  Lord,  I  will  rebel  no 
more  ;"  to  see  the  proud  heart,  hitherto  wrapt  up  in  its  own 
righteousness,  now  stripping  itself  naked,  and  made  willing 
that  its  own  shame  should  add  to  the  Redeemer's  glory. 
These  are  sights  which  angels  desire  to  look  into. 

Certainly  your  hearts  were  more  tender,  and  your  wills 
more  ready  to  yield  and  bend  in  the  days  of  your  youth, 
5=*^ 


106  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

than  they  were  when  sin  had  so  hardened  them,  and  long- 
continued  custom  riveted  and  fixed  them ;  yet  then  they  did 
not,  and  now  they  do  yield  to  the  calls  and  invitations  of 
the  gospel.  Ascribe  all  to  sovereign  grace,  and  say,  "  Not 
unto  us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  glory." 
Psa.  115  :  1.  The  experience  of  our  own  hearts  will  fur- 
nish us  with  arguments  enough  to  resist  all  temptations  to 
self-glory.  Certainly  you  "  were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the 
will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  John 
1:13. 

17.  This  is  a  comfortable  consideration,  that  he  who 
waited  on  you  so  long,  and  won  your  hearts  at  last,  tcill 
not  noiv  forsake  you.  I  question  not  but  there  are  many 
fears  and  jealousies  within  you  that  all  this  will  come  to  noth- 
ing, and  that  you  will  perish  at  last.  Divers  things  foment 
these  jealousies  within  your  hearts :  the  weakness  of  your  own 
graces,  which,  alas,  are  but  in  their  infancy ;  the  sense  you 
have  of  your  remaining  corruptions,  and  the  great  strength 
they  still  retain ;  the  subtlety  of  Satan,  who  employs  all  his 
temptations  to  reduce  you,  sometimes  roaring  after  his  es- 
caped prey  with  hideous  suggestions,  which  make  your  souls 
tremble ;  sometimes  the  discouraging  apprehensions  of  the 
difficulties  of  religion,  feeling  the  spirituality  of  active  obe- 
dience and  the  difficulty  of  passive  obedience  to  be  above- 
your  strength  ;  sometimes  feeling  within  yourselves  the  hid- 
ing of  God's  face,  and  the  withdrawment  of  sweet  and  sen- 
sible communion  with  him.  These,  and  such  tilings  as 
these,  cause  many  a  sorrow  in  your  hearts ;  but  cheer  up, 
Christ  will  not  lose  at  last  what  he  pursued  so  long  :  he  that 
waited  so  many  years  for  thy  soul,  will  never  cast  it  away 
now  that  he  has  the  possession  of  it. 


THE   SPIRIT  STUIVING-.  107 

CHAPTER  V, 

EVERY  CONVICTION  OF  CONSCIENCE  AND  MO- 
TION  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT  A  KNOCK  FROM 
CHRIST. 

«  BEHOLD,  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  AND  KNOCK:'    Rev.  3  :  20. 

In  the  former  chapter,  we  have  seen  the  Redeemer's  pos- 
ture, a  posture  of  condescending  humility — rather  the  pos- 
ture of  a  servant  than  of  the  Lord  of  all :  "  Behold,  I  stand 
at  the  door."  We  now  come  to  consider  his  action  or  mo- 
tion for  entrance  :  I  stand  "  and  hiochT  This  metaphori- 
cal action  of  knocking,  signifies  nothing  else  but  the  motions 
made  by  Christ  for  entrance  into  the  souls  of  sinners  ;  and 
afibrds  us  this  fifth  doctrine  : 

That  every  conviction  of  conscience  and  motion  on  the 
hearts  of  sinners  is  a  knock  of  Christ  for  entrance  into 
their  souls. 

This  action  of  knocking  is  sometimes  ascribed  to  the  soul, 
and  is  expressive  of  its  desire  to  come  into  the  gracious 
presence  and  communion  of  God  :  so  l^Iatt.  7:7,  "  To  him 
that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened  ;"  that  is,  to  him  that  seeks 
by  importunate  prayer,  fellowship  and  communion  with  the 
Lord,  it  shall  be  granted.  But  here  it  is  applied  to  Christ, 
and  is  expressive  of  his  importmiate  desire  to  come  into 
union  and  communion  with  the  souls  of  sinners.  Here  I  ^ 
shall  show  what  are  the  doors  of  the  soul  at  which  Christ 
knocks  ;  what  his  knocking  at  these  doors  implies ;  by  what 
instruments  he  knocks  at  them ;  and  in  what  manner  he 
performs  this  action. 

L  "What  are  the  doors  of  the  soul  at  which  Christ 
knocks.  You  all  know  that  the  term  Christ  here  used  can- 
not be  literal,  but  metaphorical.  It  is  a  figurative  speech  ; 
a  "door"  is  introductory  to  the  house,  and  whatever  intro- 


108  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt  AT   THE   BOOR. 

duces  into  the  soul  is  the  door  of  the  soul.  In  the  soul  of 
man  there  are  many  powers  and  faculties  that -have  this 
use,  to  introduce  things  into  the  soul.  Some  are  more  out- 
ward, as  we  may  speak  comparatively  ;  and  some  more  in- 
ward, as  the  doors  of  our  houses  are.  Christ  knocks  orderly 
at  them  all,  one  after  another,  for  the  operations  of  the  Spirit 
disturb  not  the  order  of  nature. 

1.  The  first  door  that  opens  into  the  soul  is  the  under- 
standing.  Nothing  passes  into  the  soul  but  it  first  comes 
through  this  door  of  the  understanding  ;  nothing  can  touch 
the  heart  or  move  the  affections,  but  what  has  first  touched 
the  understanding.  Hence  we  read  so  often  in  Scripture  of 
the  opening  of  the  understanding,  that  being,  as  it  were, 
the  front  door  of  the  soul. 

2.  Within  this  is  the  royal  gate  of  the  soul,  namely,  the 
will,  that  noble  and  imperial  power.  Many  things  may  pass 
into  the  mind  or  understanding  of  a  man,  and  yet  be  able  to 
get  no  further ;  the  door  of  the  will  maybe  shut  against  them. 
There  were  many  precious  truths  of  God  let  into  the  under- 
standings of  the  heathen  by  the  light  of  nature,  but  they 
could  get  no  further  ;  their  hearts  and  wills  were  locked  and 
shut  up  against  them.  They  held  the  truths  of  God  in  un- 
righteousness, E,om.  1:18;  that  is,  they  bound  and  imprisoned 
the  common  notices  which  the  law  of  nature  impressed  upon 
their  minds  concerning  the  being  and  nature  of  God,  and  the 
duties  of  both  tables  of  the  law.     These  truths  could  get  no 

•  further  into  their  souls  :  and,  which  is  a  sad  and  dreadful 
consideration,  Christ  himself  stands  between  these  two  doors, 
in  the  souls  of  many  persons ;  he  has  got  into  their  under- 
standings and  consciences,  and  they  are  convinced  of  the  ne- 
cessity of  receiving  Jesus  Christ,  but  still  the  door  of  their 
will  is  barred  against  him,  which  drew  from  him  the  sad 
complaint,  "Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life."  John  5:40.  When  this  door  of  the  will  is  once 
effectually  opened,  then  all  the  inner  doors  of  the  afiectious 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  109 

are  quickly  set  open  to  receive  and  welcome  him — desire, 
joy,  delight,  and  all  the  rest,  stand  open  to  him.  These  are 
the  doors  at  which  the  Redeemer  knocks. 

II.  We  must  consider  what  is  meant  by  Christ's  knock- 
ing at  the  door,  and  what  that  action  implies.  In  the  gen- 
eral, knocking  is  an  action  significant  of  the  desire  of  one 
who  is  without,  to  come  in ;  it  is  a  sign  appointed  to  that 
end.  And  what  is  Christ's  knocking,  but  a  signification  to 
the  soul  of  his  earnest  desire  to  come  into  it — a  notice  given 
to  the  soul  of  Christ's  willingness  to  possess  it  for  his  own 
habitation?  It  is  as  if  Christ  should  say,  "Soul,  thou  art 
the  house  that  was  built  by  my  hand,  purchased  and  re- 
deemed by  my  blood  ;  I  have  an  unquestionable  right  to  it, 
and  now  demand  entrance."  More  particularly,  there  are 
divers  great  things  implied  in  this  gracious'  act  of  Christ's 
knocking  at  the  door  of  the  soul. 

1.  It  implies  the  special  favor  and  distinguishing 
grace  and  goodness  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  will  stand  and 
knock  at  our  doors  when  he  passes  by  so  great  a  part  of  the 
world,  never  giving  one  such  knock  or  call  at  other  men's 
doors.  It  is  certainly  the  most  admirable  condescension  and 
favor  of  heaven ;  and  shows  a  man  to  be  highly  favored  of  God. 
0  amazing  I  that  when  Christ  passes  by  the  souls  of  thou- 
sands and  millions,  and  gives  not  one  effectual  knock  or  call 
at  their  doors  all  the  days  of  their  life,  he  will  please  to  turn 
aside  to  thy  soul,  and  wait  and  knock  there  for  entrance. 
Here  is  one  of  the  greatest  acts  of  favor  that  can  be  shown 
to  the  soul  of  a  sinner.  How  many  souls  there  are  in  the 
world  equal  in  natural  dignity  to  yours,  and  of  sweeter  nat- 
ural tempers,  whom  yet  the  Lord  Jesus  lets  alone  in  the 
quiet  possession  of  Satan.  Luke  11  :  21.  There  is  a  deep 
silence  and  stillness  in  their  consciences,  no  stirrings  nor  dis- 
turbances by  convictions,  but,  through  a  dreadful  judgment 
of  God,  they  are  left  in  a  deep  sleep ;  and  if  their  consciences 
at  any  time  begin  to  disturb  them,  how  soon  are  they  hushed 


110  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

and  quieted  again  by  Satan  I  What  the  condition  of  the 
world  was  in  former  ages  we  know  from  the  Scriptures, 
where  we  learn  that  God  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations 
to  walk  in  their  own  ways.  Acts  14  :  16.  It  is  the  great- 
est mercy  for  the  sleepy  conscience  of  a  sinner  to  be  roused 
by  convictions,  because  it  is  introductory  to  all  other  spirit- 
ual mercies.  This  act  of  grace  is  little  appreciated  by  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  men  :  much  rather  would  poor  sin- 
ners be  let  alone,  than  be  thus  disturbed  by  troublesome 
convictions ;  and  when  Christ  disturbs  their  rest,  how  do 
they  startle  at  the  knocks  of  his  word  and  Spirit.  How 
angry  are  they  that  they  cannot  be  let  alone  to  enjoy  their 
quiet  sleep  in  sin  till  the  flames  of  hell  awaken  them  I  Mr. 
Fenner,  that  great  and  eminent  instrument  of  God  in  this 
work,  tells  us  in  one  of  his  sermons  how  it  fared  with  a 
certain  man  that  came  to  hear  him  preach.  It  seems  the 
word  had  got  entrance  into  his  conscience  and  gave  it  a 
terrible  alarm,  and  as  he  was  going  home,  some  that  fol- 
lowed him  heard  him  thus  blaming  and  bemoaning  himself : 
*'  0  what  a  fool,  what  a  beast  was  I  to  come  under  this 
sermon  to-day  !  I  shall  never  have  peace  and  quietness  any 
more."  And  what  is  the  reason  that  smooth  and  general 
preaching  is  so  much  applauded  in  the  world,  and  close  con- 
vincing doctrine  so  much  shunned  and  hated,  but  this,  that 
sinners  are  very  loath  to  be  disquieted  and  have  their  con- 
sciences thoroughly  awakened  ?  Whatever  your  apprehen- 
sions be,  certainly  it  is  an  unspeakable  mercy  for  Christ  to 
knock,  and  disquiet  the  souls  of  sinners  by  his  calls. 

2.  The  next  thing  implied  in  this  action  of  Christ  is,  that 
the  first  motions  towards  the  recovery  and  salvation  of  sin- 
ners begin  not  in  themselves,  hut  in  Christ.  We  never 
knock  at  heaven's  door  by  prayer  till  Christ  has  first  knock- 
ed at  our  door  by  his  Spirit.  Did  not  Christ  move  first,  there 
would  be  no  motions  after  him  in  our  hearts :  we  move 
towards  him,  because  he  hath  first  moved  upon  our  souls. 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  Ill 

Christ  would  ever  be  unsought  and  undesired,  did  he  not 
make  the  first  motion.  All  our  motions  are  secondary  and 
consequential  motions.  "  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought 
me  not."  Isa.  65  :  1.  As  "we  love  him  because  he  first 
loved  us,"  1  John,  4:  19,  so  we  seek  him  because  he  first 
sought  us.  Alas,  poor  sinners  are  well  satisfied  to  lie  fast 
asleep  in  the  devil's  arms.  When  the  Spirit  of  God  goes 
forth  with  the  word  of  conviction,  he  finds  the  souls  of  men 
in  the  same  posture  which  the  angels  who  had  surveyed  the 
world  reported  the  whole  earth  to  be  in  :  "  Behold,  all  the 
earth  sitteth  still,  and  is  at  rest."  Zech.  1:11.  Every  man 
was  settled  and  satisfied  in  his  own  way.  What  a  strange 
stillness  and  midnight  silence  is  there  among  sinners.  Not 
a  sigh,  not  a  cry  to  be  heard  for  sin.  So  the  psalmist  repre- 
sents the  case  of  sinners  :  "  The  Lord  looked  down  from 
heaven  upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were  any 
that  did  understand  and  seek  God.  They  are  all  gone  aside, 
they  are  all  together  become  filthy  :  there  is  none  that  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one."  Psalm  14  :  2,  3.  There  is  one  thing 
peculiarly  strange  in  this  case  :  that  even  those  whose  earthly 
pleasures  and  delights,  which  brought  them  into  this  sleep 
and  security,  are  taken  away  from  them  by  the  hand  of 
Providence,  I  mean  their  estates,  health,  and  children,  even 
they  awake  not ;  they  have  no  stirrings  after  God.  0  what 
a  dead  sleep  hath  sin  cast  the  souls  of  sinners  into.  You 
have  a  notable  scripture  to  tliis  purpose  in  Job  35  :  9,  10  ; 
they  are  the  words  of  Ehhu  concerning  those  under  grievous 
oppression  from  the  cruel  hands  of  wicked  men  :  "By  reason 
of  the  multitude  of  oppressions  they  make  the  oppressed  to 
cry  ;  they  cry  out  by  reason  of  the  arm  of  the  mighty.  But 
none  saith.  Where  is  God  my  Maker,  who  giveth  songs  in 
the  night  ?"  that  is,  comfort  and  refreshment  to  the  afflict- 
ed. Here  are  men  turned  out  of  their  estates,  thrown  into 
prison,  cast  on  all  extremities  and  miseries,  and  what  do 
these  poor  creatures  do  ?     Why,  they  cry  by  reason  of  their 


112  CHEIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

oppression  :  0  my  father,  my  mother,  my  wife,  my  child,  my 
estate,  my  liberty !  But  none  saith.  Where  is  my  Grod  ?  0 
my  sin,  or  my  misery  by  reason  of  sin  I  "  Where  is  he  who 
giveth  songs  in  the  night  ?"  The  people  of  God  when  they 
lie  musing  upon  their  beds  under  affliction,  have  thei;r  "  songs 
in  the  night ;"  in  the  midst  of  the  multitude  of  their  troubled 
thoughts  within  them,  the  comforts  of  God  delight  their 
souls.  These  are  their  songs  in  the  night,  but  no  such  words 
or  thoughts  have  carnal  men.  How  plain  is  it,  that  all  the 
first  motions  of  salvation  have  their  spring  and  rise  in  God, 
and  not  in  us. 

3.  Christ's  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  heart  shows  the 
method  of  the  Spirit  in  conversion  to  he  in  harmony  ivith 
the  nature  of  marCs  soul.  Mark  Christ's  expression  in  the 
text ;  he  does  not  say,  Behold,  I  come  to  the  door  and  break 
it  open  by  violence.  Christ  makes  no  forcible  entries, 
whether  smners  will  or  not ;  he  will  come  in  by  consent  of 
the  will,  or  not  at  all.  "I  stand  and  knock ;  if  any  man 
open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him."  There  is  a  great 
difference  between  a  friendly  admission  by  consent,  and  a 
forcible  entrance :  in  a  forcible  entrance,  bars  of  iron  are 
brought  to  break  open  the  door  ;  but  in  a  friendly  admission, 
one  knocks  and  the  other  opens.  Forcible  actions  are  un- 
suitable to  the  nature  of  the  will,  whose  motions  are  free  and 
spontaneous  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "  Thy  people  shall  be  will- 
ing in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Psalm  110:3.  It  is  true, 
the  power  of  God  is  upon  the  will  of  man  in  the  day  of  his 
conversion,  or  else  it  would  never  open  to  Christ ;  but  yet 
that  power  of  God  doth  not  act  against  the  freedom  of  man's 
will ;  God  makes  iit  willing,  taking  away  the  obstinacy  and 
reluctance  of  the  ^^dll  by  the  efficacy  of  his  grace — a  sweet 
and  pleasant  victory  ;  and  so  the  door  of  the  will  still  opens 
freely  :  "  I  drew  them  with  cords  of  a  man,  with  bands  of 
love."  Hos.  11:4.  "I  drew  them,"  there  is  almighty 
power  ;  but  how  did  this  power  draw  them  ?   "  With  cords  of 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  113 

a  man,"  that  is,  with  rational  arguments  convincing  the 
judgment.  Beasts  are  driven  and  forced,  but  men  are  drawn 
by  reason.  It  must  be  confessed  that  when  the  day  of  God's 
power  is  come  for  bringing  home  a  poor  sinner  to  Christ,  the 
power  of  God's  Spirit  draws  him  effectually  :  "  Every  man 
that  hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto 
me,"  John  6  :  45  ;  yet  the  soul  comes  freely  by  the  consent 
of  his  will,  for  this  is  the  method  of  Christ  in  drawing  souls 
to  him.  There  is  in  the  day  of  a  sinner's  conversion  an  offer 
made  for  the  will,  both  by  Satan  and  by  Christ ;  Satan  bids 
riches,  honors,  and  pleasures,  with  ease  and  quietness  to  the 
flesh  in  the  enjoyment  of  them.  Abide  where  thou  art,  saith 
Satan  ;  remain  with  me,  and  thou  shalt  escape  all  the  perse- 
cutions, losses,  and  troubles  in  which  conscience  entangles 
other  men  ;  thou  shalt  draw  thy  life  through  peace  and  pleas- 
ure to  thy  dying  day.  0,  saith  the  flesh,  this  is  good ;  what 
can  be  better  for  me  ?  But  then,  saith  Christ,  dost  thou  not 
consider  that  all  these  enjoyments  will  quickly  be  at  an  end  ! 
and  what  shall  become  of  thee  then  ?  Behold,  I  offer  thee 
the  free,  full,  and  final  pardon  of  thy  sins ;  peace  and  recon- 
ciliation with  God  ;  treasures  in  heaven  ;  all  these  shall  be 
thine,  with  troubles,  reproaches,  and  persecutions  in  this 
world.  The  understanding  and  conscience  of  a  sinner  being 
convinced  of  the  vanity  of  earthly  things,  and  the  indispen- 
sable necessity  of  pardon  and  peace  with  God — I  say,  when 
a  convinced  judgment  hath  duly  balanced  these  things,  and 
laid  them  before  the  will,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  puts  forth 
his  power  in  the  renovation  of  it,  it  moves  towards  Christ 
freely,  and  yet  cannot,  according  to  its  natural  order,  act 
otherwise  than  it  doth.  And  doubtless  this  is  the  true  mean- 
ing of  that  expression  so  often  mistaken  and  abused  in  Luke 
14  :  23,  "  Compel  them  to  come  in."  What,  by  forcing  men 
against  the  light  of  their  consciences  ?  No ;  to  the  shame  of 
many  Protestants  let  us  hear  the  explanation  of  Stella,  a 
popish  commentator  upon  this  passage :  "  Christ  compels  men 


114  CHRIST  KNOCIvINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

to  come  in,  by  showing  to  tlieir  will  such  an  excelling  good 
as  it  cannot  but  embrace  ;"  for  the  will  is  naturally  carried 
to  the  best  good.  And  thus  the  Spirit  works  upon  the  soul 
harmoniously  and  agreeably  to  its  nature. 

4.  Christ's  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  soul  implies  the 
immediate  access  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the  soid  of  man. 
He  can  come  to  the  very  innermost  door  of  the  soul  at  his 
pleasure,  and  make  what  impression  upon  it  he  pleases. 
Instruments  used  in  this  work  have  no  such  privilege  or 
power.  Ministers  can  but  knock  at  the  external  door  of  the 
senses.  "  Thine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers."  We  can  see 
their  persons  and  hear  their  voices — we  can  reason  with 
sirmers,  and  plead  with  their  souls ;  but  awaken  them  we 
cannot,  open  their  hearts  we  cannot ;  we  can  only  lodge  our 
message  in  their  ears,  and  leave  it  to  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
make  it  efiectual.  This  is  a  Avork  belonging  to  the  Spirit  of 
God,  incommunicable  to  angels  or  men.  If  an  angel  from 
heaven  were  the  preacher,  he  could  not  give  one  effectual 
stroke  to  the  conscience  :  much  less  can  man  ;  we  have  no 
dominion  over  your  consciences.  The  keys  of  the  doors  of 
your  souls  hang  not  at  our  girdles,  but  are  in  the  hands  of 
Christ.  He  hath  the  key  of  David  ;  he  openeth,  and  no  man 
shutteth ;  and  he  shutteth,  and  no  man  openeth.  Rev.  3:7. 
The  conscience  and  all  the  faculties  of  the  mind  lie  naked 
and  open  to  the  stroke  of  God's  Spirit ;  he  can  wound  them 
and  heal  them,  and  make  what  impression  he  pleases  upon 
them.  Learn  hence,  what  need  there  is  both  for  ministers 
and  people,  before  they  enter  upon  the  solemn  ordinances  of 
God,  to  lift  up  their  hearts  by  prayer  for  the  blessing  and. 
power  of  the  Spirit  upon  them.  Lord,  send  forth  thy  Spirit ; 
pour  it  forth  upon  and  with  thy  word.  Ah,  how  many 
sermons  have  we  preached  and  you  heard,  and  yet  there  is 
no  opening.     In  the  next  place  let  us  consider, 

III.  By  avhat  instruments  Christ  knocks  at  the  doors  ; 
that  is,  the  judgment,  conscience,  and  will  of  a  sinner.     And 


THE   SPIRIT  STRIVma.  115 

here  my  work  will  be  to  show  how  the  Spirit  of  God  makes 
use  both  of  the  ico7-d  and  tcorks  of  God  to  rouse  the  con- 
sciences and  open  the  hearts  of  sinners.  These  are  the  two 
hammers  or  instruments  of  the  Spirit,  by  which  he  knocks 
at  the  door  of  the  heart. 

1.  The  tvord  ivritten  (xr  ^preached,  but  especially  preach- 
ed. To  this  Christ  gives  the  preference  above  all  other 
instruments  employed  about  this  work  ;  and  hence  the  word 
is  called  God's  hammer :  "  Is  not  my  word  like  as  a  fire  ? 
saith  the  Lord ;  and  like  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock 
m  pieces?"  Jer.  23  :  29.  By  this  hammer  Christ  knocks 
at  the  door  of  a  sinner's  soul,  to  give  warning  that  he  is 
there.  The  Spirit  of  God  can  open  the  heart  immediately,  if 
he  pleases  ;  but  he  will  honor  his  word  in  this  work.  And 
therefore,  when  Lydia's  heart  was  to  be  opened,  Paul  the 
great  gospel-preacher  must  be  invited,  even  by  an  angel,  to 
come  over  to  Macedonia  and  assist  in  that  blessed  work. 
Acts  16:9.  Lydia  was  to  be  converted,  her  heart  must  be 
opened  to  Christ ;  the  angel  could  not  do  it,  but  calls  for  the 
help  of  the  apostle,  God's  appointed  instrument  to  carry  on 
that  work.  So  saith  God  to  Paul,  "  I  have  appeared  unto 
thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness 
both  of  these  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  of  those  things 
in  the  which  I  will  appear  unto  thee ;  delivering  thee  from 
the  people  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  now  I  send 
thee  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God."  Acts 
26  :  16-18.  There  are  three  ways  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
uses  the  word  as  his  hammer  in  loiocking  at  the  door  of  the 
soul. 

(1.)  He  knocks  by  particular  convictions  of  the  tvord  on 
the  conscience :  this  knock  by  conviction  rings  and  sounds 
through  all  the  rooms  and  chambers  of  the  soul ;  particular 
and  effectual  conviction  wounds  to  the  very  centre  of  the 
soul.     Wlien  the  word  comes  home  by  the  Spirit's  apphca- 


116  CHRIST   KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 

tion,  like  that  of  Nathan  to  David,  "  Thou  art  the  man," 
then  all  the  powers  of  the  soul  are  roused  and  alarmed ;  now 
it  pierces  as  a  two-edged  sword,  Heh.  4:12,  and  divides  the 
soul  and  spirit,  the  superior  and  inferior  faculties  of  it — lays 
open  the  secret  guilt  and  inmost  thoughts  of  a  man's  heart, 
before  wliich  the  sinner  cannot  stand.  The  secrets  of  his 
heart  are  made  manifest ;  and  falling  down  on  his  face,  he 
must  acknowledge  that  God  is  in  the  word  of  a  truth.  1  Cor. 
14  :  24.  0  these  convictions  of  the  word  are  such  a  knock 
at  the  door  of  the  conscience  as  will  never  be  forgotten,  no, 
not  in  heaven  to  all  eternity. 

(2.)  Christ  knocks  in  the  word  by  its  awful  threatenings, 
menacing  the  soul  that  opens  not  with  eternal  ruin  ;  these 
are  dreadful  knocks.  0,  sinner,  saith  Christ,  wilt  thou  not 
open  ?  Shall  all  the  tenders  of  my  grace  made  to  thee  be 
in  vain  ?  Know  then,  that  this  thy  obstinacy  shall  be  thy 
damnation.  Thus  the  word  denounces  ruin,  in  the  name  of 
the  great  and  terrible  God,  to  all  impenitent  and  obstinate 
unbelievers,  John  3:36:  "He  that  belie veth  not  the  Son 
shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him." 
0  dreadful  sound- 1  like  unto  which  is  that  in  John  8  :  24, 
"  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins." 
As  if  he  had  said,  *'  Thy  mittimus  for  hell  shall  be  made  and 
signed.  "Will  you  not  come  to  me,  that  you  may  have  life  ? 
Then  you  shall  even  die  m  your  sins.  0  it  were  better  for 
-thee  to  die  any  kind  of  death  than  to  die  in  thy  sins."  These 
are  loud  knocks  of  the  word,  terrible  sounds,  yet  no  more 
than  are  needed  to  startle  the  drowsy  consciences  of  sinners. 
And  then, 

(3.)  The  Spirit  knocks  by  the  gracious  invitatio7is  of 
the  tvord  ;  and  without  this,  no  heart  would  ever  open  to 
Christ.  It  is  not  frosts  and  snow,  storms  and  thunder,  but 
the  gentle  distilling  dews  and  cherishing  sunbeams  that  make 
the  flowers  open  in  the  spring.  The  terrors  of  the  law  may 
be  preparatoiy,  but  only  the  grace  of  the  gospel  is  that  wliich 


THE    SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  117 

effectually  opens  the  sinner's  heart.  The  obdurate  flint  will 
sooner  break  when  smitten  upon  the  soft  pillow,  than  upon 
the  anvil.  Now  the  gospel  abounds  with  alluring  invita- 
tions to  draw  the  will  and  open  the  heart  of  a  sinner  ;  such 
as  that,  Matt.  11  :  28,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  What  a  charm- 
ing voice  is  here  ;  he  that  considers  it,  may  well  wonder  what 
heart  in  the  world  can  resist  it.  Like  unto  this  is  Isaiah 
55  :  1,  "Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea, 
come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without 
price."  Gome,  sinner,  come  ;  though  thou  hast  no  qualifi- 
cations nor  worthiness,  nor  righteousness  of  thy  own — ^though 
thou  art  but  a  heap  of  sin  and  vileness,  yet  come ;  grace  is  a 
gift,  not  a  sale.  And  such  is  John  7  :  37,  "  In  the  last  day, 
that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying.  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink."  As  if  he 
had  said,  My  grace  is  not  a  sealed  fountain  ;  it  is  free  and 
open  to  the  greatest  of  sinners  ;  if  they  thirst,  they  are  in- 
vited to  come  and  drink.  This  is  that  oil  of  the  gospel-grace 
which  makes  the  key  turn  so  pleasantly  and  effectually 
among  all  the  cross-wards  of  man's  will.  Thus  you  see  how 
the  word  preached  becomes  an  instrument  in  the  Spirit's 
hand  to  open  the  door  of  a  sinner's  heart,  at  which  it  knocks 
by  its  mighty  convictions,  dreadful  threatenings,  and  gracious 
invitations. 

2.  We  now  come  to  the  second  hammer  by  which  the 
Spirit  knocks  at  the  sinner's  heart,  and  that  is  the  jy^'oviden- 
tial  ivorks  of  God.  These,  in  subserviency  to  the  word,  are 
of  excellent  use  to  awaken  sinners  and  make  them  open 
their  hearts  to  Christ.  God  hath  magnified  his  word  above 
all  his  name,  yet  there  are  some  of  the  providential  works 
of  God  greatly  serviceable  in  this  case  ;  the  word  sanctifies 
providences,  and  providences  assist  the  word  and  make  it 
work.     There  are  two  sorts  of  providential  dispensations 


118  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

which  the  Lord  Jesus  makes  use  of  to  gain  entrance  for  him 
into  the  hearts  of  men,  namely,  judgments  and  mercies. 

(1.)  Judgments  mid  afflictions  :  the  word  of  God  many 
times  works  not  till  some  stroke  of  God  come  to  quicken  and 
assist  it.  Thus  did  the  Lord  open  the  heart  of  that  monster 
of  wickedness,  Manasseh  ;  the  word  could  not  work  alone,  but 
a  smart  rod  quickened  its  operation.  "  And  the  Lord,  spake 
to  Manasseh,  and  to  his  people  ;  but  they  would  not  hearken. 
Wherefore  the  Lord  brought  upon  them  the  captains  of  the 
host  of  the  king  of  Assyria,  which  took  Manasseh  among 
the  thorns,  and  bound  him  with  fetters,  and  carried  him 
to  Babylon.  And  when  he  was  in  affliction  he  besought 
the  Lord  his  God,  and  humbled  himself  greatly  before  the 
God  of  his  fathers."  2  Chron.  33  :  10-12.  Thus  the  heart 
of  this  man  relented  under  the  word,  assisted  by  the  rod.  It 
is  good  that  God  takes  such  a  course  with  some  sinners,  else 
the  word  would  do  them  no  good  :  and  to  this  purpose  is  Job 
36  :  8-10  :  "If  they  be  bound  in  fetters  and  be  holden  in 
cords  of  a"ffliction,  then  he  showeth  them  their  work  and 
their  transgressions  that  they  have  exceeded.  He  openeth 
also  their  ear  to  discipline."  This  is  the  rough  course  which 
the  obstinacy  of  men's  hearts  makes  necessary  for  their  re- 
covery ;  and  therefore  it  is  observable,  that  some  words  of 
God  have  lain  dead  in  sinners'  hearts  for  years  together,  and 
at  last  have  begun  to  work  under  some  smart  rod.  Alas, 
while  all  things  are  pleasant  and  prosperous  about  us,  the 
word  has  but  little  eflect  :  "I  spake  unto  thee  in  thy  pros- 
perity ;  but  thou  saidst,  I  will  not  hear.  This  hath  been  thy 
manner  from  thy  youth,  that  thou  obeyedst  not  my  voice. 
The  wind  shall  eat  up  all  thy  pastures,  and  thy  lovers  shall 
go  into  captivity ;  surely  then  shalt  thou  be  ashamed  and 
confounded  for  all  thy  wickedness."  Jer.  22  :  21,  22.  As 
though  he  had  said.  Your  eyes  are  so  dazzled  with  the  beau- 
tiful flowers,  and  your  ears  so  charmed  with  the  syren  songs 
of  earthly  delights,  that  my  word  can  take  no  effect  upon 


THE   SPIEIT  STRIVINa.  119 

you.  Let  an  east-wind  blow,  and  wither  up  these  flowers  ; 
then  the  word  shall  Vv'ork,  and  conscience  deeply  feel  the 
concerns  of  eternity.  This  course  God  takes  with  many  of 
you  ;  you  sit  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  under  the  word,  and 
nothing  takes  efTect  on  your  hearts.  Will  you  not  hear  the 
voice  of  ray  word  ?  saith  God ;  go,  death,  smite  that  man's 
child,  I  will  try  what  that  will  do  ;  go,  poverty,  and  blast  his 
estate,  and  see  what  that  will  do  ;  go,  sickness,  and  smite 
his  body,  and  shake  him  over  the  grave's  mouth,  I  will  see 
what  that  will  do.  Thus  God  sends  to  sinners,  as  Absalom 
sent  to  Joab — who  refused  to  come  near  him,  till  he  set  fire 
to  his  field  of  corn,  and  then  away  comes  Joab.  2  Sam. 
14  :  29-31.  And  thus  the  Lord  opened  the  heart  of  the 
jailer,  by  putting  him  into  a  fright,  a  panic  fear  of  death. 
Acts  16  :  27.  Thus  does  the  Lord  devise  means  to  bring 
back  his  banished. 

(2.)  As  God  makes  use  of  the  hammer  of  judgments,  so 
he  makes,  use  of  mercies  to  make  way  for  Christ  into  the 
hearts  of  men.  Every  mercy  is  a  call,  a  knock  of  God  : 
and  truly  if  there  were  any  ingenuousness  left  unextin- 
guished in  the  heart,  one  would  think  mercy  would  prevail 
more  than  all  judgments,  Knowest  thou  not  that  the  good- 
ness of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ?  Rom.  2:4.  Or  in 
other  words,  Dost  thou  not  see  the  hand  of  mercy  stretched 
out  to  lead  thee  into  a  corner,  there  to  mourn  over  thy  sins 
committed  against  so  gracious  and  merciful  a  God  ?  By 
every  mercy  you  receive,  Christ  doth,  as  it  were,  sue  you  to 
open  your  hearts  to  him  ;  they  are  so  many  gifts  sent  from 
heaven  to  make  way  for  Christ  into  your  hearts.  It  would 
be  an  endless  task  to  enumerate  all  the  mercies  bestowed  to 
this  end  upon  the  unregenerate  :  but  surely  this  is  the  errand 
of  them  all ;  and  the  Lord  takes  it  ill  when  his  end  is  not 
answered  in  them  :  hence  is  that  complaint,  Jer.  5  :  24  ; 
"  Neither  say  they  in  their  heart.  Let  us  now  fear  the  Lord 
our  God,  that  giveth  rain,  both  the  former  and  the  latter,  in 


120  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

liis  season."  Some  of  you  have  been  marvellously  preserved 
in  times  of  common  contagion  and  death,  when  thousands 
have  fallen  at  your  right  hand  and  left :  then  have  you  been 
preserved  or  recovered,  according  to  Exod.  15  :  26,  "  I  will 
put  none  of  these  diseases  upon  thee,  for  I  am  the  Lord  that 
healeth  thee."  I  ani  Jehovah  Rophe,  the  Lord  the  physi- 
cian :  many  of  you  have  been  at  the  grave's  mouth  in  dis- 
eases, others  upon  the  deep  ;  yet  the  hand  of  mercy  pulled 
you  back,  and  suffered  you  not  to  drop  into  the  grave  and 
hell  in  the  same  moment.  0  what  a  knock  was  here  given 
by  the  hand  of  mercy  at  thy  hard  heart.  Certainly,  if  men 
would  but  observe,  they  might  see  a  marvellous  working  and 
moulding  of  things  by  the  hand  of  providence,  for  the  pro- 
duction of  thousands  of  mercies  for  them  :  and  if  mercy 
would  do  the  work  and  win  you  over  to  Christ,  many  rods 
had  been  spared  which  your  obstinacy  has  made  necessary. 
0  ungrateful  sinners,  doth  your  Redeemer  thus  woo  you  by 
so  many  gifts  of  mercy,  and  yet  will  you  shut  him  out  ? 
"  Do  ye  thus  requite  the  Lord,  0  foolish  people  and  unwise  ?" 
For  which  of  all  his  benefits  do  your  ungrateful  souls  shut 
the  doors  upon  him  ? 

You  have  seen  what  Christ's  knocking  at  the  soul  of  a 
sinner  implies,  and  by  what  instruments  it  is  performed. 

IV.  We  will  now  consider  the  manner  in  which  this  ac- 
tion IS  PERFORMED  in  the  ten  following  particulars,  wherein 
much  of  the  mystery  of  conversion  will  be  opened  ;  the  Lord 
grant  that  your  experience  may  answer  to  them.  We  can- 
not indeed  exactly  describe  and  mark  all  the  footsteps  of  the 
Spirit,  in  this  work  upon  the  souls  of  men  ;  yet  these  things 
seem  eminently  observable. 

1.  The  knocks  of  Christ  at  the  sinner's  heart  are  silent 
and  secret  to  all  persons  in  the  world,  except  the  soul  itself 
at  whose  door  he  knocks.  Here  are  many  hundreds  this  day 
under  the  word  :  if  the  Lord  shall  this  day  knock  by  convic- 
tion at  any  man's  heart,  none  will  hear  that  knock,  but  that 


THE   SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  121 

man  only ;  for  it  is  a  knock  without  sound  or  noise  to  any 
but  the  particular  soul  concerned  in  it.  It  was  foretold  of 
our  Redeemer,  and  of  this  very  act  of  his,  "  He  shall  not  cry, 
nor  lift  up,  nor  cause  his  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  street." 
Isa.  42  :  2.  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  into  the  souls 
of  men  with  public  observation.  Luke  17:20.  "What 
man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man 
which  is  in  him?"  1  Cor.  2:11,  None  knows  what  con- 
victions another  man's  conscience  feels,  until  he  himself  shall 
discover  them  ;  you  hear  the  same  sound  of  the  gospel,  but 
you  hear  not  the  inward  strokes  it  gives  to  another  man's 
conscience.  Christ's  approaches  to  the  soul  make  no  noise  ; 
little  do  we  know  what  the  Spirit  of  Christ  whispers  in  the 
ear  of  him  who  sits  next  to  us.  It  is  said  of  the  inward 
comforts  of  the  Spirit,  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna."  Rev.  2:17.  This  is  true  also 
of  inward  terrors  and  troubles.  Christ's  knocks  by  convic- 
tion are  but  a  secret  whisper  of  his  Spirit  in  the  ear  of  a  sin- 
ner, saying,  "  Thou  art  the  man  ;"  this  is  thy  case.  This  is 
the  first  thmg  in  the  manner  of  Christ's  knocking,  it  is  a 
silent  knock  without  public  sound. 

2.  These  silent,  inward  knocks  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
greatly  differ  as  to  the  terror  or  mildness  of  them  in  differ- 
ent persons.  Some  hear  them  with  terror  and  astonishment, 
others  in  a  milder  and  more  gentle  manner.  When  the 
Lord  knocked  at  the  jailer's  conscience,  it  was  a  terrible 
stroke  ;  he  called  for  a  light,  and  sprang  ui  like  a  man  dis- 
tracted ;  and  trembling  and  astonished,  fell  down  at  the  apos- 
tles' feet,  crying,  "  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 
Acts  16  :  29,  30.  Here  was  a  terrible  knock  indeed,  which 
almost  affrighted  his  soul  out  of  his  body  :  it  is  as  if  he  had 
said,  Tell  me,  in  God's  name,  and  tell  me  quickly,  whether 
there  is  any  way  of  salvation,  and  where  it  lies  ;  for  I  am  a 
lost  man,  an  undone  soul.  But  when  the  Lord  opened  the 
heart  of  Lydia,  there  were  no  such  terrors.     He  spoke  to  her 

Christ  Knocking.  6 


122  CHUIST  KNOCKOa   AT   THE  DOOR. 

in  a  more  mild  and  gentle  voice,  as  you  see,  Acts  16  :  14. 
The  Spirit  of  God  varies  his  method  according  to  the  temper 
of  the  soul  he  works  on.  Knotty  pieces  need  greater  wedges 
and  harder  blows  to  rive  them  asunder.  As  God  directs  his 
ministers  to  make  a  difference,  to  deal  tenderly  and  compas- 
sionately with  some,  but  others  to  "  save  with  fear,"  Jude 
22,  so  he  himself  observes  like  different  methods. 

3.  Some  knocks  of  Christ  are  successful,  and  obtain  the 
desired  effect.  He  knocks,  and  the  soul  opens.  But  others 
are  tmsuccessful ;  he  knocks  once  and  again  by  convictions, 
which  may  cause  the  conscience  to  startle  a  little,  but  there 
is  no  opening  to  Christ  by  faith.  0  friends,  this  is  a  dreadful 
word  to  consider  :  "I  have  called,  and  ye  refused;  I  have 
stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded."  Prov.  1  :  24. 
There  is  a  call  without  an  answer,  a  knock  and  no  opening  ; 
and  these  things  are  very  common,  especially  among  the  un- 
converted who  live  under  a  lively,  rousing  gospel-ministry. 
Of  this  Christ  complains.  Matt.  16  :  17  :  "Whereunto  shall 
I  liken  this  generation?  It  is  like  unto  children  sitting  in 
the  markets,  and  calling  unto  their  fellows,  and  saying.  We 
have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  danced  ;  we  have 
mourned  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not  lamented."  Neither 
the  delightful  melody  of  gospel-grace,  nor  the  mournful  and 
dreadful  threats  of  perdition  to  unbelievers,  avail  to  open 
your  hearts  to  embrace  me ;  no  voices  from  mount  Gerizim 
or  mount  Ebal  will  prevail  with  you.  How  many  witnesses 
to  this  truth  have  we  seen  I  God  forbid  it  should  be  thus 
with  you.  There  are  some  souls  who  hear  and  open,  even 
every  one  who  hath  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father.  John 
6  :  45.  When  the  Spirit  of  God  puts  forth  his  power  with 
the  word,  then,  and  not  till  then,  it  becomes  successful. 

4.  Sometimes  Christ  knocks  with  a  succession  of  convic- 
tions, a  quick  repetition  of  his  calls.  Some  men  have  had 
thousands  of  convictions  in  a  few  years  ;  for  in  this  case  the 
Lord  saith,  as  in  Exod.  4:8,  "If  they  will  not  hearkenJI^ 


THE  SPIRIT  sTRivma.  123 

the  voice  of  tlie  first  sign,"  yet  they  may  "beheve  the  voice 
of  the  latter  sign."  And  yet  sometimes  neither  the  former 
nor  the  latter  avail  any  thing.  "  How  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 
chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not  I"  Matt. 
23  :  37.  "  How  often  I"  intimating  the  many  calls  Christ 
gave  Jerusalem  to  come  unto  him,  yet  all  in  vain.  Obsti- 
nate sinners,  Christ  has  been  knocking  and  calling  at  some 
of  your  consciences  from  your  very  childhood  ;  thousands  of 
convictions  have  been  tried  upon  some  of  you,  and  yet  to 
this  day  your  souls  are  shut  fast  against  him.  The  Lord 
hath  waited  from  year  to  year  for  your  answer,  by  this  sig- 
nifying how  loath  he  is  to  part  with  you :  at  such  a  time 
thou  wast  upon  a  sick-bed,  nigh  unto  death  ;  at  such  a  time 
under  such  a  sermon,  and  then  Christ  knocked  at  thy  soul : 
if  all  this  is  in  vain,  as  many  convictions  as  you  have  stifled, 
so  many  fagots  you  carry  with  you  to  hell,  to  increase  your 
flames  and  torments.  Yet  commonly  those  quick  repetitions 
and  redoublings  of  the  strokes  of  convictions  end  well ;  and 
it  is  a  good  sign  when  one  conviction  revives  another,  and 
the  Lord  keeps  the  soul  still  waiting.  But  0,  take  heed  and 
try  not  his  patience  too  long,  lest  the  next  stroke  be  more 
dreadful  than  all  the  former — not  to  open  your  hearts,  but 
smite  dead  your  hopes  of  heaven. 

5.  Sometimes  Christ  knocks  intermittingly,  knocking 
and  stopping,  and  that  at  a  considerable  distance  of  time  ;  a 
conviction  this  day,  and,  it  may  be,  not  another  for  many 
months.  There  are  some  aged  sinners  that  have  not  had 
more  than  one  or  two  remarkable  awakenings  of  conscience 
in  fifty  or  sixty  years,  and  then  no  more.  Do  not  think  that 
the  Spirit  will  always  strive  with  men.  Gen.  6:3.  There 
is  a  time  when  Gl-od  says  to  the  word.  Convict  the  conscience 
of  that  man  or  woman  no  more,  but  henceforth  be  thou  not 
to  open  but  to  shut  him  up.  Isa.  6:10.  Reader,  bethink 
thyself,  how  long  is  it  since  thy  conscience  was  roused  and 


124  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

awakened  ?  0,  saith  one,  seven  or  eight  years  ago  I  heard 
such  a  sermon,  which  tore  my  conscience  to  pieces ;  I  fell 
under  such  a  providence,  which  roused  and  awakened  all 
my  fears ;  but  since  that  time,  all  has  been  still  and  quiet. 
May  the  Lord  give  you  a  second  awakening,  lest  you  awake 
with  the  flames  of  God's  wrath  about  you.  I  observe  it  is 
usual,  when  God  works  upon  any  very  early  in  life,  he  knocks 
thus  intermittingly  :  now  the  conscience  is  active,  and  full  of 
trouble,  then  the  vanities  of  youth  extinguish  these  convic- 
tions again ;  but  the  Lord  follows  his  design,  and  at  last  the 
conviction  settles  and  ends  in  conversion. 

6.  Christ  sometwies  knocks  with  both  hands  at  once, 
with  the  word  and  the  rod  together ;  the  latter  in  subservi- 
ency to  the  former  ;  and  if  ever  the  soul  is  likely  to  open,  it 
will  open  then,  when  ordinances  and  afflictions  work  together. 
The  word  smites  the  conscience  with  conviction,  and  at  or 
about  the  same  time  Providence  smites  the  outward  man 
with  some  affliction,  to  make  the  word  effectual ;  or,  under 
some  smart  affliction,  a  suitable  word  is  seasonably  directed 
to  the  conscience ;  and  thus  the  one  assists  the  other,  and 
both  together  produce  the  desired  effect.  Thus  the  Lord 
wrought  upon  the  Thessalonians  :  "And  ye  became  followers 
of  us  and  of  the  Lord,  having  received  the  word  in  much 
affliction."  1  Thess.  1:6.  A  child  dies,  an  estate  is  lost, 
or  sickness  seizes  you  at  the  time  when  conscience  is  pre- 
pared by  a  conviction  from  the  word,  or  afflictions  have  pre- 
pared it  for  the  word.  The  rod  upon  the  back  helps  the 
word  to  work  upon  the  heart ;  and  if  both  these  working  in 
fellowship  will  not  do  the  work,  there  is  little  hope  that  any 
thing  will  do  it. 

7.  Every  knock  of  Christ  disturbs  the  sinfid  rest  of 
the  soul ;  it  rouses  guilt  in  the  conscience,  and  puts  the 
inner  man  into  great  distress  and  trouble.  Before  Christ 
comes  and  knocks  at  the  door  of  the  heart,  all  is  still  and 
quiet  within  :  the  soul  is  in  a  quiet  sleep  of  sinful  security, 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  125 

no  fears  or  troubles  molest  its  rest.  "  When  a  strong  man 
armed  keepetli  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace  ;  but  when 
a  stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him  and  overcome  him, 
he  taketh  from  him  all  his  armor  wherein  he  trusted."  Luke 
11  :  21,  22.  The  armor  which  Satan  puts  into  the  hands  of 
sinners,  to  defend  themselves  against  the  convictive  strokes 
of  the  word,  are  the  general  mercy  of  God,  the  outward  du- 
ties of  religion,  partial  reformations,  etc.  But  when  Christ 
comes  by  effectual  conviction,  he  disarms  the  sinner  of  all 
these  pleas,  and  then  the  soul  sees  what  broken  reeds  it  has 
leaned  upon.  "  When  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived, 
and  I  died,"  Rom.  7:9;  all  my  vain  hopes  expired.  No 
artifice  of  Satan  can  any  longer  quiet  the  sinner's  conscience ; 
he  sees  himself  in  a  miserable  condition,  and  meditates  an 
escape  ;  farewell  now  to  sound  and  quiet  sleep  :  no  peace 
till  out  of  danger. 

8.  Every  effectual  knock  of  Christ  gives  an  alarm  to 
hell,  and  puts  Satan  to  all  his  shifts  and  arts  to  secure  the 
possession  of  the  convinced  sinner.  The  devil  is  a  jealous 
spirit,  and  when  his  interest  is  in  danger  he  bestirs  himself 
to  purpose  ;  the  time  of  conviction  is  an  hour  of  temptation. 
"  We  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  princi- 
palities, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places." 
Eph.  6  :  12.  The  strife  between  Satan  and  the  soul  is 
now  for  nothing  less  than  the  prize  of  eternal  Hfe  ;  it  is  now 
for  all  or  none,  for  life  or  death,  for  heaven  or  hell.  The 
powers  of  hell  are  now  all  in  arms  to  destroy  convictions,  and 
secure  the  possession  of  the  soul  against  Christ ;  as  when  a 
grenade  falls  into  a  garrison,  the  first  care  of  the  defendant 
is  to  stifle  it  before  it  break.  While  Christ  is  speaking  by 
his  Spirit  in  one  ear,  the  devil  is  whispering  in  the  other ; 
and  the  things  he  whispers  to  quench  convictions  are  usually 
such  as  these  :  There  is  time  enough  yet,  why  such  haste  ? 
Enjoy  thy  pleasures  a  Uttle  longer,  thou  may  est  come  to 


126  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Christ  and  "be  saved  at  last.  If  that  will  not  do,  then  he 
changes  his  voice  :  To  what  purpose  wilt  thou  go  to  Christ  ? 
It  is  noAV  too  late,  the  time  of  grace  is  over ;  hadst  thou 
come  to  him  in  thy  youth,  and  oheyed  his  first  call,  you 
had  been  saved ;  but  now  it  is  to  no  purpose.  If  this  will 
not  quiet  the  soul,  then  he  says,  Thy  sins  are  too  great  to 
he  pardoned ;  there  is  no  hope  for  such  a  prodigious  sinner  as 
thou  art.  If  the  Lord  help  the  soul  to  overcome  this  by  dis- 
covering to  it  the  riches  of  mercy,  pardoning  the  greatest  of 
sinners,  then  he  represents  the  multitudes  who  are  in  the 
same  case  with  the  convinced  sinner  :  Come,  fear  not ;  if  it 
go  ill  with  thee,  it  will  be  as  bad  for  millions  of  others ;  if 
thou  go  to  hell,  thousands  will  go  with  thee.  But  if  the 
soul  be  unwilling  to  be  lost,  even  with  so  many  others,  then 
he  bids  it  look  upon  the  train  of  troubles  and  afflictions  that 
come  along  with  Christ,  and  will  certainly  follow  him,  if  the 
door  be  open  to  let  him  in :  If  Christ  come  in,  reproaches, 
losses,  and  sufferings  will  come  in  with  him ;  troops  of  mis- 
eries follow  him :  he  himself  has  told  thee  so ;  and  art  thou 
mad  to  ruin  all  thy  comforts  in  the  world,  and  plunge  thyself 
into  a  sea  of  trouble  for  what  thine  eyes  never  saw  ?  But  if 
the  soul  reply,  These  are  more  tolerable  than  damnation ; 
better  that  my  flesh  suffer  for  a  time,  than  my  soul  be  cast 
away  for  ever ;  then  he  represents  the  insuperable  difficulties 
of  religion  :  What  a  hard  thing  it  is  to  be  saved ;  how  many 
painful  duties  and  acts  of  mortification  the  soul  must  pass 
through.  Thus  you  see  what  an  alarm  conviction  gives  to 
the  powers  of  hell. 

9.  Every  effectual  knock  of  Christ  is  continued ;  new 
convictions  revive  former  ones,  and  the  Lord  never  ceases 
to  knock  tiU  the  door  is  opened.  If  one  sermon  will  not  do, 
another  shall ;  if  one  wound  be  healed  by  the  art  of  Satan, 
a  fresh  wound  shall  be  made  ;  if  a  former  conviction  vanish, 
the  next  shall  be  sealed  upon  the  soul :  and  when  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  sealeth  a  conviction  upon  the  conscience,  raze  it 


THE    SPIRIT  STRIVma.  127 

out  who  can.  And  here  is  the  difference  between  special 
and  common  convictions  :  common  convictions  come  and  go  ; 
they  put  the  soul  in  a  fright  for  a  day  or  a  month,  and  then 
trouble  it  no  more  for  ever  ;  but  special  convictions  will  be 
continued,  one  thing  foUowing  another,  for  Christ  is  m  pursuit 
of  the  soul,  and  will  pursue  it,  till  at  last  he  overtake  it. 

10.  All  tlie  knocks  of  Christ  cease  %ohen  the  sinner's. 
^^y  of  grace  is  ended.  This  is  a  dreadful  consideration — 
when  the  time  of  mercy  is  over,  no  more  strivings  of  the 
Spirit.  Christ  says  to  the  drowsy  sinner,  as  to  the  drowsy 
disciples  in  the  garden,  "  Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest." 
Matt.  26  :  45.  I  called  thee  m  such  a  sermon,  but  thou 
heardest  not ;  by  such  a  providence,  but  thou  obeyedst  not : 
sleep  on  now,  and  take  thy  rest.  "  My  people  would  not 
hearken  to  my  voice,  and  Israel  would  none  of  me.  So  I 
gave  them  up  to  their  ovi^i  hearts'  lust,  and  they  walked  in 
their  own  counsels."  ~  Psa.  81  :  11,  12.  I  have  done  with 
them,  the  treaty  is  ended ;  I  wdll  make  no  more  essays  tow- 
ards their  conversion  and  salvation.  "  So  I  gave  them  up." 
Methinks  it  sounds  as  much  as  this  :  Take  them,  sin — take 
them,  Satan,  I  will  have  no  more  to  do  with  them.  "  Ephra- 
im  is  joined  to  idols:  let  him  alone."  Hosea  4  :  17.  His 
heart  is  glued  fast  to  sin,  he  is  enamoured  with  other  lovers, 
let  him  alone.  0  beloved,  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  for  God  to 
say.  Let  this  man  alone  in  his  formality,  and  that  man  in 
his  carnal  security.  Let  not  this  be  misapphed  by  trembling 
souls  under  conviction.  I  know  the  fear  of  this  judgment 
is  upon  their  hearts  ;  nothing  makes  them  tremble  more 
than  lest  the  day  of  grace  be  ended  with  them.  But  there 
is  no  ground  for  this  fear,  while  the  Spirit  continues  con- 
vincing and  the  soul  trembling  lest  his  convictions  should 
prove  ineffectual.  Thus  much  of  the  nature,  instruments, 
and  manner  of  Christ's  knocking  at  the  door  of  a  sinner's 
heart.  Our  way  is  now  opened  to  an  application  of  this 
point,  which  I  wiU  present  in  several  particulars. 


128  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Inference  1 .  Into  hoiv  deei^  a  deep  hath  sin  cast  the 
souls  of  sinners,  that  Christ  rriust  stand  so  long,  and  give 
such  loud  repeated  knocks,  before  it  ivill  aivake  and  open 
to  him  !  There  is  the  spirit  of  a  deep  sleep  fallen  upon  men, 
like  that  into  which  God  cast  Adam.  God  speaks  once, 
yea,  twice,  but  man  regards  it  not ;  it  is  the  hardest  thing 
in  the  world  to  rouse  and  awaken  a  man  out  of  his  carnal 
security.  Look  over  Satan's  kingdom,  and  you  find  a  gene- 
ral stillness  and  quietness  among  his  subjects  :  there  is  no 
trouble  for  sin,  no  strivings  after  salvation,  no  crying  out, 
"What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  Acts  16:30.  Go  into 
the  crowds  of  worldly  men  and  women,  and  you  find  them 
all  intent  and  busy  about  other  matters.  How  long  will 
you  be  in  their  company  before  you  hear  one  groan  for  sin, 
or  see  one  tear  fall  from  their  eyes  on  that  account.  0 
what  a  marvellous  thing  is  here  !  Do  not  their  consciences 
know  the  guilt  that  lies  upon  them  ?  Are  they  not  aware 
of  a  day  of  reckoning  which  approaches  ?  Yes,  yes,  these 
things  are  not  hid  from  their  consciences.  "What  art,  then, 
is  used  to  keep  them  so  still  and  quiet?  Why,  there  are 
divers  means  used  to  still  the  consciences  of  sinners,  and  they 
do  it  efTectually.  There  are  four  causes  and  occasions  of 
this  wonderful  stillness  in  the  souls  of  sinners. 

(1.)  Ignorance  of  the  7iature  of  regenerating  grace — 
taking  that  for  regeneration  which  is  not  such  :  thus  did  the 
Jews  confidently  affirm  God  to  be  their  God,  yet  they  did 
not  know  him.  John  8  :  54.  How  many  poor  ignorant 
creatures  think  there  is  no  need  of  any  other  work  of  regen- 
eration, but  what  passed  upon  them  in  baptism.  They 
were  born  and  baptized  Christians,  and  that  is  enough,  they 
think,  to  save  them.  "  We  have  Abraham  to  our  father," 
Matt.  3:9.  They  thought  it  sufficient  that  Abraham's 
blood  ran  in  their  veins,  though  there  were  not  a  spark  of 
Abraham's  faith  kindled  in  their  souls.  The  Lord  forgive 
the  sin  of  those  men  who  lead  souls  into  such  fatal  mistakes. 


THE   SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  129 

0  if  men  were  but  aware  of  the  necessity  of  a  greater  and 
further  work  to  pass  on  their  souls  than  their  baptism,  pow- 
erless profession,  or  the  similar  works  which  appear  in  for- 
mal hypocrites,  heaven  and  earth  would  ring  with  their  cries. 
But  ignorance  of  the  nature  and  necessity  of  special  regener- 
ating grace,  like  a  dose  of  opium,  casts  the  consciences  of 
many  into  this  deep  sleep. 

(2.)  Freedom  from  grosser  sins  and  pollutions  of  the 
ivorld  stills  and  quiets  the  consciences  of  thousands  :  they 
have  had  a  sober  and  fair  education  ;  and  though  there  is 
no  grace  and  regeneration,  yet  what  saints  do  they  seem  to 
themselves,  being  adorned  with  sobriety  and  civility.  This 
stilled  the  conscience  of  the  Pharisee  :  "  God,  I  thank  thee 
that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adul- 
terers, or  even  as  this  publican."  Luke  18:11.  Thus, 
like  delicate  Agag,  they  pride  themselves  in  moral  and  so- 
cial virtues,  wherein  many  thousands  of  the  heathen  were 
better  than  themselves;  but  justice  will  hew  them  to  pieces, 
as  Agag  was,  notwithstanding  all  their  moral  ornaments 
and  endowments. 

(3.)  The  strict  performance  of  the  external  duties  of 
religion  quiets  the  consciences  of  many.  They  question  not 
but  those  who  do  so  well  shall  fare  well,  and  flatter  them- 
selves that  God  will  never  damn  men  and  women  who  keep 
their  church  and  say  their  prayers  as  they  do.  Thus  the 
carnal  Jews  deluded  themselves,  crying,  "  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  are  these."  Jer.  7:4.  As 
malefactors,  in  some  countries,  flee  to  the  church  from  the 
hand  of  justice,  so  do  these  ;  but  God  will  pluck  them  from 
the  horns  of  the  altar,  and  convince  them  that  the  empty 
name  of  religion  is  no  security  from  damnation. 

(4.)  Many  consciences  are  quieted  in  a  natural,  sinful 

state,  by  misinterpretiyig  the  voice  of  providence.      It  may 

be  that  God  prospers  your   earthly  affairs,   succeeds  and 

smiles  upon  your  undertakings  ;  and  this  you  conclude  must 

6* 


130  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

be  a  token  of  his  love  and  favor.  But  alas,  this  is  a  great 
mistake  :  may  the  Lord  give  you  better  evidences  of  his  love 
than  these  ;  for  who  prosper  more  in  the  world  than  wicked 
men  ?  And  who  are  more  crossed  than  the  people  of  God  ? 
Read  Job  21,  and  Psalm  73,  and  compare  both  with  Eccl. 
9:1,  and  you  will  quickly  see  the  vanity  of  all  hopes  built 
on  such  a  foundation.  But  by  such  things  as  these  the  god 
of  this  world  blinds  the  eyes  of  multitudes. 

2.  If  every  conviction  he  a  knock  of  Christ,  how  deeply 
are  we  all  concerned  in  the  success  of  convictions.  Con- 
viction is  an  embryo  of  the  new  creature  :  if  it  come  to  a 
perfect  new  birth,  it  brings  forth  salvation  to  your  souls  ;  if  it 
fails,  you  are  finally  lost.  It  is  of  infinite  moment,  therefore, 
to  every  one,  to  be  tender  of  these  convictions  of  conscience. 
It  is  true,  conviction  and  conversion  are  two  things  :  there 
may  be  conviction  without  conversion,  though  there  can  be 
no  conversion  without  conviction.  The  blossoms  on  the 
trees  in  the  spring  of  the  year  cannot  properly  be  called  fruit, 
but  are  rather  the  rudiments  of  fruit,  or  something  in  order 
to  fruit.  If  they  open  kindly,  and  knit  or  set  firmly,  perfect 
fruit  follows  them  ;  but  if  a  blight  or  a  frosty  morning  kill 
them,  no  fruit  is  to  be  expected.  Thus  it  is  here.  Great 
care,  therefore,  ought  to  be  taken  about  the  preservation  and 
success  of  convictions,  both  by  the  soul  itself  that  is  under 
them,  and  by  all  others  who  are  concerned  about  them. 

(1.)  Wliat  care  should  th,e  soul  itself  have,  on  ivhom 
convictions  are  wrought.  Beware,  friends,  how  you  quench 
them  or  hinder  their  operations,  lest  you  hinder,  as  much  as 
in  you  lies,  the  formation  of  Christ  in  your  souls.  The  life 
of  your  souls  is  bound  up  in  the  life  of  your  convictions.  I 
know  it  is  hard  for  men  to  dwell  with  their  own  convic- 
tions :  guilt  and  wrath  are  sad  subjects  for  men's  thoughts 
to  dwell  upon  ;  but  it  is  far  better  to  dwell  with  the  thoughts 
of  sin  and  wrath  here,  than  to  lie  under  them  in  hell  for 
ever.     You  may  be  freed  from  your  convictions  and  your 


THE  SPIRIT   STRIVINa.  131 

salvation  together.  Be  not  too  eager  after  peace — a  good 
trouble  is  better  than  a  false  peaw.  And  on  the  other  hand, 
beware  that  your  convictions  turn  not  into  discouragements  to 
faith  ;  this  will  cross  the  proper  intention  of  them  :  they  are 
Christ's  knocks  for  entrance,  and  were  never  intended  to  be 
bars  or  stumbling-blocks,  but  steps  in  your  way  to  Christ. 

(2.)  Let  all  that  are  concerned  about  convinced  souls, 
beware  tuhat  counsels  they  give  and  wliat  rules  they  pre- 
scribe, lest  they  destroy  all  in  the  bud. 

There  are  two  errors  too  commonly  committed :  one  in 
excess,  persuading  souls  under  trouble  of  conscience  that 
there  is  no  commg  to  Christ  for  them,  unless  they  are  so  and 
so  prepared,  humbled  just  to  such  a  degree  :  this  is  danger- 
ous counsel ;  it  overheats  the  troubles  of  conscience,  and  keeps 
the  soul  from  its  proper  present  duty  and  remedy.  I  am 
sure  Paul  and  Silas  took  no  such  course  with  the  convinced 
jailer,  Acts  16:31,  nor  Peter  with  the  three  thousand 
wounded  consciences.  Acts  2  :  38.  Nor  do  I  find  where  God 
has  stated  the  time  and  degree  of  spiritual  troubles,  so  that 
there  must  be  no  approaches  to  Christ  in  the  way  of  faith, 
until  they  have  suffered  them  so  long  and  to  such  a  height. 
If  they  have  imbittered  sin  to  the  soul,  and  made  it  see  the 
necessity  of  a  Saviour,  it  cannot  move  too  soon  after  Christ 
in  the  way  of  faith.  Let  no  man  set  bounds  where  God 
sets  none. 

There  is  another  error  committed  in  defect ;  when  prom- 
ises and  comforts  are  applied  before  the  nature  of  faith  is 
known,  or  one  act  of  reliance  put  forth  towards  Christ. 
These  hasty  comforts  come  to  nothing ;  they  will  not,  they 
cannot  stand.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  apply  gospel-cor- 
dials, and  pour  out  the  precious  ointment  of  the  promises 
upon  them  who  were  never  heart-sick  for  sin — to  address  to 
such  persons  upon  every  slight  trouble,  which  is  but  as  an 
early  dew,  the  peculiar  consolations  of  penitent  and  believ- 
ing souls.      How  many  such  unskilful  empirics  are  there  in 


132  CHRIST  KKOCKINCr  AT  THE   DOOE,. 

every  place  I  Such  as  the  prophet  Jeremiah  complains  of: 
"  They  have  healed  the  hin:t  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 
slightly,  saying,  Peace,  peace  ;  when  there  is  no  peace." 
Jer.  6  :  14.  Remember,  that  the  foundation  is  now  laying 
for  eternity,  and  that  this  is  the  time  of  deep  consideration ; 
men  must  ponder  the  terms  and  count  the  cost,  and  deliber- 
ately accept  and  close  with  Christ,  before  the  consolations  of 
the  promises  can  properly  be  administered  to  them. 

3.  What  a  blessing  is  a  rousing,  faithful  ministry 
among  a  people.  By  such  a  ministry  Christ  knocks  power- 
fully :  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  God  can  bestow 
upon  a  people,  when  he  sends  among  them  powerful  and 
judicious  preachers  of  the  gospel,  under  whose  ministry  their 
consciences  cannot  sleep  quietly.  These  are  the  instruments 
by  which  Christ  knocks  at  men's  hearts ;  and  as  for  those 
that  sew  pillows  for  drowsy  sinners  to  sleep  quietly  upon, 
the  Lord  owns  them  not  as  his.  "  Thy  prophets  have  seen 
vain  and  foolish  things  for  thee  :  and  they  have  not  discov- 
ered thine  iniquity."     Lam.  2  :  14. 

It  is  true  that  those  ministers  that  give  men  no  rest  and 
quietness  in  their  sins,  must  expect  but  little  rest  and  quiet- 
ness themselves.  What  is  it  for  ministers  to  preach  home 
to  the  consciences  of  others,  but  to  pull  down  the  rage  of 
the  world  upon  their  own  heads  ?  But  certainly  you  will 
have  cause  to  bless  God  to  eternity,  for  casting  your  lot  un- 
der such  a  ministry  ;  and  the  Lord  accounts  such  a  mercy 
sufficient  to  recompense  any  outward  affliction  that  lies  upon 
you.  You  fare  richly  under  such  doctrine,  though  the  Lord 
should  feed  you  with  the  bread  of  affliction,  and  give  you 
the  waters  of  adversity  to  drink ;  this  makes  amends  for  all. 
Thine  eyes  shall  behold  thy  teachers,  and  they  shall  be 
driven  no  more  into  corners.  Isa.  30  :  20.  0  blessed  be 
God  that  England's  corners  are  this  day  emptied,  that  its 
pulpits  may  be  filled  Avith  laborious,  faithful  ministers.  0 
that  the  knocks  of  Christ  may  be  heard  in  all  the  cities, 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa-.  133 

towns,  and  villages  of  this  nation.  The  kingdom  of  God 
is  come  nigh  unto  us ;  this  mercy  is  invaluable  :  pray  that 
the  Lord  may  continue  it,  and  make  all  your  ministers  and 
means,  whether  pubhc  or  private,  successful. 

4.  Let  all  men  beware  of  whatever  may  deafest  their 
ears  and  drown  the  sound  of  Christ's  knocks  and  calls  in 
the  gospel.  "What  pernicious  enemies  to  the  souls  of  men 
are  those  persons  who  turn  away  men's  ears  from  attending 
to  the  knocks  and  calls  of  Christ  in  his  word.  Such  are, 
1.  Profane,  wicked  men,  who,  hke  Elymas  the  sorcerer, 
make  it  their  business  by  wicked  insinuations  and  jeers  to 
turn  away  men's  ears  from  the  gospel.  "  0  full  of  all 
subtlety  and  all  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  ene- 
my of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the 
right  ways  of  the  Lord?"  Acts  13  :  10.  All  opposition  to 
godliness  has  a  spice  of  devilishness,  and  no  child  more 
resembles  his  father  than  a  scoffing  enemy  resembles  his 
father  the  devil.  But  blessed  be  God  for  the  good  provi- 
dence which,  in  a  great  measure,  has  stopped  the  mouths 
both  of  the  father  and  his  children.  2.  Take  heed  of  carnal 
and  ungodly  relations,  who  discourage  and  threaten  their 
servants,  and  all  who  depend  on  them,  from  attending  upon 
the  means,  or  givmg  way  to  the  convictions  which  God  has 
awakened  in  their  hearts.  Cruel  parents,  who  had  rather 
see  their  children  turned  into  their  graves,  than  turning  to 
the  ways  of  serious  godliness  I  0  that  any  should  dare  to 
quench  the  beginnings  of  spiritual  life  in  those  to  whom  they 
were  instruments  to  convey  natural  life.  3.  Take  heed  of 
the  world,  its  distracting  cares  and  pleasures  ;  what  a  din  and 
noise  do  these  things  make  in  the  ears  of  men.  "  The  cares 
of  this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts 
of  other  things  entering  in,  choke  the  word,  and  it  becometh 
unfruitful. "  Mark  4  : 1 9 .  Tell  not  them  of  getting  C  hrist, 
they  must  study  how  to  get  bread.  These  are  some  of  the 
distracting  and  diverting  sounds  which  drown  the  voice  of 


134  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

Christ's  knocks  and  calls  in  the  gospel.     As  you  value  your 
souls,  beware  of  them. 

Christ  is  now  come  near  us  in  the  gospel.  Behold,  he 
stands  at  the  door  and  knocks  :  and  I  this  day  demand  your 
answer — in  his  name  I  do  solemnly  demand  it ;  what  shall 
I  return  to  him  who  sent  me  ?  What  sayest  thou,  sinner  ? 
Wilt  thou  open  to  Christ,  or  wilt  thou  shut  him  out,  and 
with  him  thy  own  pardon,  peace,  and  salvation  ?  Once 
more,  let  me  try  the  force  of  a  few  more  arguments  upon 
your  hearts,  and  refute  your  vain  pleas  to  the  contrary. 
Methinks  no  heart  should  be  able  to  resist  such  motives 
and  ratiqnal  persuasions  as  these  following  will  be  found 
to  be. 

Motive  1.  You  are  in  extreme  need  of  Christ;  you 
want  him  more  than  bread  or  breath.  Many  things  are 
convenient  for  your  bodies,  but  Christ  is  the  "one  thing 
needful"  for  your  souls.  Luke  10  :  42.  Necessity  is  an  engine 
that  will  open  any  thing  that  can  be  opened  :  necessity  will 
make  all  fly  before  it.  Now  there  is  a  plain,  present,  abso- 
lute necessity  lying  on  every  one  of  you  to  open  your  heart 
to  Christ,  and  that  without  delay.  Necessity  goes  before 
the  face  of  Christ,  to  open  the  way  for  him  into  the  heart. 
Thou  must  have  him,  or  be  lost  for  ever.  Christ  and  faith 
are  not  the  may-be,  but  the  must-be,  to  the  happiness  of  thy 
soul.  A  man  may  be  poor,  and  happy ;  reproached,  and 
blessed ;  but  he  cannot  be  Christless  and  safe,  nor  Christ- 
less  and  comfortable.  You  must  have  Christ,  or  you  can- 
not have  life,  John  3  :  36  ;  you  must  have  Christ,  or  you 
can  have  no  hope,  Col.  1  :  27.  Christ  and  life,  Christ  and 
hope,  go  together :  no  Christ,  no  life ;  no  Christ,  no  hope. 
Sinner,  thou  must  have  Christ,  or  thou  canst  have  no  par- 
don ;  for  Christ  and  pardon  are  undivided.  Eph.  1:7.  In 
a  word,  you  must  have  Christ,  or  you  can  have  no  salva- 
tion.    Acts  4  :12.     Well,  then,  if  thou  canst  have  no  life 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVma.  135 

nor  hope,  no  pardon  nor  salvation,  without  Christ,  then  a 
plain  necessity  goes  before  Christ  to  open  his  way  into  thy 
heart :  methinks  thou  shouldst  now  say,  Then  will  I  open 
to  Christ,  whatever  the  terms  are.  Come  sufferings,  losses, 
reproaches,  yea,  death  itself,  all  is  one  ;  Christ  I  must  have, 
and  Christ  I  will  have  :  necessity  is  laid  upon  me,  and  my 
heart  is  opened  to  Christ  by  it.  Woe  to  me  for  ever,  if  I 
miss  of  Christ. 

Motive  2.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  this  day  come  nigh  to 
your  souls.  I  may  say  to  you  as  Christ  did  to  the  Jews, 
"  The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  unto  you."  Luke  10:9. 
The  Lord  grant  he  be  not  as  nigh  to  some  of  you  as  ever 
he  shall  be  ;  for  he  must  come  nearer,  or  else  you  are  lost 
for  ever.  It  is  not  Christ  among  you  in  the  means  of  grace, 
but  Christ  Mdthin  you  by  the  work  of  grace,  which  must  be 
unto  you  "  the  hope  of  glory."  Col.  1  :  27.  He  is  not  only 
among  you  in  external  means,  but  he  is  come  into  your  un- 
derstandings and  consciences  ;  yea,  some  motions  of  his  you 
feel  upon  your  affections  :  there  wants  but  a  little  more  to 
make  you  eternally  happy.  0  what  would  one  effectual 
touch  upon  your  wills  be  worth  now !  The  head-work  is 
done  ;  0  that  the  heart- work  were  done  too.  You  are  almost 
saved  ;  but  to  be  almost  saved,  is  to  be  wholly  and  eternally 
lost,  if  it  go  no  further.  It  is  a  sad  thing  for  a  man  who 
hath  one  foot  in  heaven,  to  slide  from  thence  into  hell ;  it  is 
sad  to  be  shipwrecked  at  the  harbor's  mouth. 

Motive  3.  Jesus  Christ  has  an  unquestionable  right 
to  enter  into  and  ipossess  every  one  of  your  souls.  Satan  is 
but  an  usurper  :  Christ  is  your  lawful  owner  and  proprietor  ; 
thy  soul,  sinner,  hath  not  so  full  a  title  to  thy  body,  as  Christ 
hath  to  thy  soul.  Satan  keeps  Christ  out  of  his  right.  Christ 
knocks  at  the  door  of  his  oM^n  house  ;  he  built  it,  and  there- 
fore may  well  claim  admission  into  it :  it  is  his  own  crea- 
ture. "  By  him  w-ere  all  things  created  that  are  m  heaven 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible  ;"  bodies  or  souls. 


136  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

Col.  1  :  16.  The  invisible  part,  thy  soul,  is  his  workman- 
ship— a  stately  structure  of  his  own  raising.  He  has  also 
a  right  by  redemption  ;  Christ  hath  bought  thy  soul,  and 
that  at  the  invaluable  price  of  his  own  blood.  Who  then 
can  dispute  the  right  of  Christ  to  enter  into  his  own  house  ? 
But,  alas,  he  cometh  to  his  own  and  his  own  receive  him 
not.     John  1:11. 

Motive  4.  Open  the  door  to  Christ,  for  a  train  of  bless- 
ings and  mercies  come  in  with  him — a  troop  of  privileges 
follow  him.  In  the  same  day  and  hour  that  Christ  comes 
into  thine  heart  by  a  full  and  deliberate  choice,  a  pardon 
comes  with  him  of  all  the  sins  that  ever  thou  hast  commit- 
ted, in  thought,  word,  or  action.  Will  such  a  pardon  be 
welcome  to  thy  soul  ?  Then  let  Christ  be  welcome,  for 
where  Christ  comes,  pardon  comes.  Eph.  1  :  7.  If  you  open 
to  Christ,  you  open  to  peace,  and  who  would  shut  the  door 
of  his  soul  against  peace  ?  If  peace  be  welcome,  let  Christ 
be  welcome  ;  for  peace  follows  faith  in  Christ.  Rom.  5:1. 
Where  Christ  comes,  liberty  comes.  "  If  the  Son  therefore 
shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed."  John  8  :  36. 
Are  you  in  love  with  bonds  and  fetters  ?  Satan's  laws  are 
written  in  blood.  Christ's  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  commands 
not  grievous.  If  you  love  liberty,  love  Christ.  In  a  word, 
where  Christ  comes,  salvation  comes  ;  for  he  is  "  the  author 
of  eternal  salvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him."  Heb.  5  :  9. 
If  therefore  you  love  pardon,  peace,  liberty,  and  salvation, 
shut  not  the  door  against  Christ ;  for  all  these  follow  him 
wherever  he  goes. 

Motive  5.  Christ  this  day  solemnly  de7nands  entrance 
into  thy  soid  ;  he  begs  thee  to  open  to  him,  2  Cor.  5  :  20  ; 
he  commands  thee  to  open  unto  him,  1  John  3  :  23  ;  he 
denounces  eternal  ruin  to  those  who  refuse  him  entrance. 
Now  consider  well — here  is  entrance  demanded  under  pain 
of  the  eternal  wrath  of  God  :  this  demand  is  recorded  in 
heaven  ;  at  your  own  peril  be  it,  if  you  shut  the  door  against 


THE   SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  137 

him.  Only  this  will  I  say  in  my  Redeemer's  behalf;  if  you 
refuse,  bear  witness  heaven  and  earth  this  day  that  Christ 
solemnly  demanded  entrance  into  thy  soul,  and  was  refused  ; 
bear  witness  that  the  door  was  shut  against  the  only  Re- 
deemer, who  intreated,  commanded,  and  threatened  eternal 
damnation  to  the  rejecters  of  him.  Oh,  methinks  that 
scripture,  Prov.  1  :  24-31,  should  strike  terror  into  the  very 
centre  of  the  soul  that  refuses  the  offers  of  Christ  I 

Motive  6.  And  so  I  have  done  my  master's  errand  :  if 
you  7101V  refuse  the  knock  of  Christ  at  your  hearts,  he  may 
n&oer  knock  more ;  and  where  are  you  then  ?  There  is  a 
knock  which  will  be  the  last  knock,  a  call  which  will  be  his 
last  call ;  and  after  that  no  more  knocks  or  calls,  but  an 
eternal  silence  as  to  any  overture  of  mercy. 

Objection  1.  But  if  I  do  open  to  Christ,  he  will  never 
come  in  to  such  a  filthy,  polluted,  sinful  soul  as  mine  is. 

Answer.  Who  saith  so  ?  Who  dare  affirm  so  impudent 
a  falsehood  in  the  very  face  of  the  text,  "  If  any  man  open 
to  me,  I  will  come  in  to  him  ?" 

Objection  2.  If  I  open  to  Christ,  I  must  bid  farewell  to 
rest  in  this  world  ;  reproaches,  sufferings,  and  losses  follow 
him. 

Answer.  If  Christ,  pardon,  and  salvation  are,  in  thy 
estimation,  not  worth  the  enduring  and  suffering  these  small 
things,  sure  thou  valuest  Christ  and  thy  soul  at  a  low  rate. 
0  who  can  sufficiently  bewail  the  ignorance  and  folly  of  un- 
believers, who  v^dll  sell  their  souls  and  hopes  of  heaven  for 
such  trifles  !  And  if  Christ  and  thy  soul  must  part  on  these 
terms,  then  hear  me,  sinner,  and  let  it  sink  into  thine  heart : 

Thy  damnation  %mll  he  just ;  for  thou  hadst  thine 
own  choice,  and  hast  deliberately  preferred  the  insignificant 
trifles  of  this  world  before  Christ  and  salvation.  It  was 
plainly  told  thee  what  the  issue  of  thy  rejecting  Christ  would 
be  ;  and  yet,  after  sufficient  warning,  thou  hast  ventured 
upon  it.     Whatever  other  simiers  will  plead,  I  know  not, 


138         CHRIST  KNOcKma  at  the  door. 

but  as  for  thee,  thou  must  be  speechless.  Matt.  22  :  12.  If 
thou  die  Christless,  thou  must  appear  at  his  bar  speechless ; 
and  the  day  of  judgment  will  be  the  day  of  the  revelation 
of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.     K-om.  2  :  5. 

It  icill  also  be  unavoidable^  for  there  is  no  other  way 
to  salvation  but  this.  Acts  4:12.  No  Christ,  no  heaven ; 
no  faith,  no  Christ.  *'  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation?"  Heb.  2:3.  Mercy  itself  cannot 
save  thee  out  of  Christ,  for  all  the  saving  mercy  of  God 
is  dispensed  to  men  through  him.  Jude  21.  It  is  to  no 
purpose  to  cry  for  mercy,  when  Christ,  in  whom  all  the 
mercies  of  God  are  dispensed  to  men,  is  rejected  by  thee. 

This  doctrine  winds  up  in  consolation  to  all  such  as, 
hearing  the  Imocks  of  Christ,  have  opened  or  are  now  re- 
solved to  open  their  hearts  to  him  ;  and  that  nothing,  hence- 
forth, may  keep  Christ  and  their  souls  asunder,  to  such  I 
shall  address  the  following  grounds  of  comfort. 

1.  An  opening  heart  to  Christ  is  a  work  wholly  and 
altogether  supernatural ;  a  special  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  never  found  upon  any  but  an  elect  soul.  There  are 
common  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  such  as  knowledge,  vanishing 
convictions,  etc.,  but  the  opening  of  the  heart  by  faith  is 
the  special,  saving,  and  peculiar  work  of  the  Spirit.  "  This 
is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  He  hath 
sent."  John  6  :  29.  Yea,  the  almighty  power  of  God,  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  his  power,  is  exerted  in  the  work  of 
faith.  Eph.  1  :  19.  It  rises  not  out  of  nature,  as  common 
gifts  do  ;  but  of  this  it  is  expressly  said,  "  Not  of  yourselves, 
it  is  the  gift  of  God."  Eph.  2:8,  "Where  this  work  is  effect- 
ually wrought,  we  may  reason  as  solidly  as  comfortably  from 
it,  both  backward  to  the  electing  love  of  God,  and  forward 
to  our  eternal  glorification  with  him.     Rom.  8  :  30. 

2.  The  opening  of  thy  heart  to  Christ  by  saving  faith, 
gives  thee  an  interest  in  Christ  the  very  same  liour.     The 


THE  SPIRIT  STRIVINa.  139 

relation  is  tlien  constituted,  the  conjugal  bond  is  fastened 
between  him  and  thy  soul.  "  As  many  as  received  him,  to 
them  gave  he  power,"  right  or  privilege,  "to  become  the 
sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name."  John 
1:12.  You  neither  need  nor  may  expect  an  extraordinary^ 
messenger  or  voioe'JTrom  heaven,  to  tell  you  that  Christ  is 
yours  and  you  are  his  ;  you  have  a  better  foundation  in  this 
word  and  work  of  faith.  For  my  part,  if  God  will  give  me  the 
clear  and  satisfying  experience  of  this  work  upon  my  heart, 
I  would  never  desire  more  satisfaction  on  this  side  heaven. 
I  know  not  but  the  devil  may  counterfeit  an  extraordinary 
voice,  and  cheat  the  soul  by  a  lying  oracle ;  but  if  I  really 
feel  my  heart  and  will  sincerely  opening  to  Christ  upon  gos- 
pel terms,  I  am  sure  there  is  no  deceit  in  that. 

3.  The  opening  of  thy  heart  to  Christ  by  faith  is  a 
good  assurance  that  heaven  shall  be  ope7ied  to  thy  soul  here- 
after. Heaven  is  shut  against  none  but  those  who  shut 
their  hearts  against  Christ  by  unbelief  Will  you  bar  Christ 
out  of  your  souls  by  ignorance  and  unbelief,  and  then  cry, 
Lord,  open  to  us  ?  God  will  open  to  none  but  them  that 
open  to  Christ.  Eternity  itself  shall  but  suffice  to  bless  God 
for  this  opening  act  of  faith.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved."     Mark  16  :  16. 

4.  The  opening  of  thy  soul  to  Christ  by  faith  makes  it 
Christ's  liabitation  for  ever :  in  that  hour  out  go  sin  and 
Satan,  and  in  come  Christ  and  grace.  "  If  any  man  open 
unto  me,  I  wall  come  in  to  him,"  saith  the  text.  Of  such  a 
soul  Christ  saith,  as  it  was  said  of  the  temple,  "  The  Lord 
hath  chosen  Zion  ;  he  hath  desired  it  for  liis  habitation.  This 
is  my  rest  for  ever ;  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it." 
Psa.  132  :  13,  14.  The  soul  now  becomes  a  hallowed  tem- 
ple to  the  Lord ;  as  he  hath  said,  "  I  will  dwell  in  them, 
and  walk  in  them ;  and  I  vvill  be  their  G^d,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people."  2  Cor.  6:16.  0  what  a  heaven  on  earth 
is  here  I     Christ  dwelling  in  the  soul  is  the  glory  of  the 


140  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

soul,  as  God's  dwelling  in  the  temple  was  the  glory  of  the 
temple. 

5.  In  a  word,  the  opening  of  the  heart  to  Christ  is  the 
work  ivhich  answers  the  great  design  of  the  gospel.  Where- 
fore has  God  set  up  ordinances  and  ministers,  yea,  wherefore 
is  the  Spirit  sent  forth,  but  to  open  the  hearts  of  sinners  to 
Christ  by  faith  ?  "When  this  is  done,  the  main  intention  of 
the  gospel  is  attained  ;  the  union  is  effected  between  Christ 
and  the  soul ;  it  is  now  put  out  of  hazard.  The  whole  work 
of  the  gospel  after  that,  is  but  to  build  up,  confirm,  and  com- 
fort the  soul,  ripen  its  implanted  graces,  and  make  it  meet 
for  glory. 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  141 

CHAPTER    VI. 

CHRIST'S  EARNEST  ENTREATY  FOR  UNION  AND 
COMMUNION  WITH  SINNERS. 

"BEHOLD,  I  STAND  AT  THE  DOOR  AND  KNOCK."    Rev.  3:20. 

Here  are  pains  and  patience,  aU  means  used  by  Christ 
to  gain  entrance  into  the  souls  of  sinners.  The  language 
speaks  the  earnestness  of  his  suit,  and  the  vehemency  of  his 
desire  to  be  in  union  with  the  souls  of  men.  The  sixth  doc- 
trine, therefore,  will  be, 

Jesus  Christ  is  ati  earnest  suitor  for  u?iion  and  com- 
munion ivith  the  souls  of  sinners. 

This  doctrine  lies  directly  and  fully  in  the  intention  of 
the  text.  In  opening  it,  two  things  must  be  spoken  to,  in 
the  doctrinal  part :  the  demonstration  of  this  truth,  that  he 
is  so  ;  and  the  marvellous  grace  and  condescension  of  Christ, 
that  he  should  be  so. 

The  DEMONSTRATION  of  this  truth,  that  Christ  is  an  ear-\ 
nest  suitoT  for  union  a?id  communion  with  the  souls  of  sin- 1 
ners,  I  shall  draw  from  a  view  and  consideration  of  the  dis- 
positions and  actions  of  the  Lord  Jesus  towards  sinners  from 
first  to  last.  And  when  you  have  compared  them  all  to- 
gether, and  by  them  seen  the  temper  of  his  heart,  how  great 
and  clear  a  light  will  shine  upon  this  point.  That  his  heart 
hath  still  inclined  towards  union  and  communion  with  sin- 
ful man,  will  appear  by  considering  him  before  his  incarna- 
tion ;  in  the  days  of  his  flesh ;  at  his  death ;  and  since  his 
ascension  into  heaven. 

I.  Consider  him  before  his  incarnation,  and  you  will 
find  two  things  in  that  state  which  plainly  speak  his  desire 
after  union  with  us. 

1.  In  the  covenant  of  redemption  he  mn,de  with  God 
concerning  us  before  this  world  liad  a  being ;  for  such  a 


142  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

covenant  and  promise  did  really  pass  between  him  and  the 
Father  before  all  time,  or  else  I  know  not  how  to  understand 
this  scripture  :  "  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  which  God,  that 
cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world  began."  Titus  1  :  2. 
To  whom  could  that  promise  be  made,  which  bears  date  be- 
fore the  creation,  but  unto  Christ  ?  What  else  can  this  mean 
but  the  covenant  of  redemption  made  between  the  Father  and 
the  Son  ?  the  terms  whereof  are  set  down  in  Isa.  53  :  10,  11, 
where  you  find  what  Christ  was  to  do,  namely,  "  to  make  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin" — and  what  should  be  his  reward 
for  pouring  out  his  soul  unto  death,  namely,  "  To  see  his 
seed  ;  to  see  the  travail  of  his  soul,"  even  a  church  purchased 
with  his  own  blood.  Whether  this  be  not  a  great  demonstra- 
tion of  the  inclination  of  Christ's  heart  towards  union  and 
communion  with  sinners,  let  all  men  judge.  0  what  a  value 
did  Christ  set  upon  our  souls,  that  upon  such  costly  terms 
he  would  consent  to  redeem  them  !  Unto  this  agreement  God 
the  Father  held  hina  :  "  God  spared  not  his  own  Son."  Rom. 
8  :  32.  And  this  very  covenant  Christ  pleaded  with  the  Fa- 
ther :  "I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which 
thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world  :  thine  they  were,  and  thou 
gavest  them  me,"  John  17  :  6.  This  plainly  shows  the 
vehement  desire  of  Christ's  heart  to  be  in  union  with  men  ; 
according  to  Prov.  8:31:  "  Rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part 
of  his  earth,  and  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men." 
Blessed  Jesus,  nothing  but  the  strength  of  thine  own  desire 
and  love  could  have  drawn  thee  out  of  that  bosom  of  de- 
lights to  suffer  so  many  things  for  the  sake  of  sinners. 

11.  Let  us  consider  Christ's  disposition  towards  union 
and  communion  with  sinners,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh  ; 
and  every  thing  done  by  Christ  carries  and  confirms  tliis 
conclusion. 

1.  Christ's  assumption  of  our  nature  manifested  his 
desire  after  union  with  us.  Herein  he  gave  two  incompar- 
able proofs  of  his  transcendent  love  to  us,  and  desire  after  us 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  143 

(1.)  hipassmg  by  a  superior  a7id  more  excellent  nature. 
"Verily  he  took  not  on  liim  the  nature  of  angels."  Heb. 
2:16.  Angels  were  excellent  creatures,  but  behold  those 
vessels  of  gold  cast  into  the  fire,  and  earthen  potsherds  fitted 
for  glory.  It  is  true,  the  angels  who  kept  their  first  estate 
are  members  of  Christ's  kingdom  ;  he  is  a  head  to  them  by 
way  of  dominion,  but  unto  us  by  way  of  vital  union.  Christ 
takes  the  believer  into  a  nearer  union  with  himself  than  any 
angel  in  heaven.  For  the  multitudes  of  apostate  angels  he 
never  designed  recovery,  but  left  them  as  they  were  before, 
bound  in  chains  of  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  gi'eat 
day.     Jude  6. 

(2.)  In  uniting  our  nature  to  himself,  and  that  after 
sin  Imd  blasted  its  beauty,  and  let  in  so  many  direful  calam- 
ities upon  it.  He  was  found  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 
Rom.  8:3;  that  is,  he  was  subject  to  weariness,  pains,  and 
death,  which,  though  there  is  no  sin  in  them,  are  the  effects 
and  consequences  of  sin  :  such  a  nature  he  took  into  personal 
union  with  himself,  not  to  experience  any  new  pleasure  in 
it,  but  to  enable  him  to  suffer  and  satisfy  for  us ;  and  thus 
to  give  a  convmcing  proof  of  the  strength  of  his  love,  and  the 
vehemency  of  his  desire  to  us.  His  personal  union  with  our 
nature  shows  his  desire  after  a  mystical  union  with  our  per- 
sons. He  would  never  have  been  the  Son  of  man,  but  to 
make  us  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  living  God  ;  he  came 
in  our  likeness,  that  we,  by  sanctification,  might  be  con- 
formed to  his  likeness.  Behold  how  near  Christ  comes  to  us 
by  his  incarnation.  0  what  a  stoop  did  he  make  therein 
to  recover  us.  Rather  than  lose  us,  he  was  contented  to  lose 
his  manifested  glory  for  a  time  ;  for  his  incarnation  made  him 
"  of  no  reputation."  Phil.  2  : 7.  Behold  the  desire  of  the 
Saviour  after  union  with  sinners. 

2.  The  luhole  life  of  Christ  upon  earth  was  an  evident 
proof  and  demonstration  of  the  desire  of  his  heart  to  be  in 
union  and  communion  with  us  :  "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify 


144  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOE. 

myself."  John  17  :  19.  The  Hfe  of  Christ  was  wholly  set 
apart  for  us ;  therefore  it  is  said,  "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given."  Isa.  9:6.  What  was  the  errand 
upon  which  Christ  came  into  this  world,  but  to  "  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost?"     Luke  19  :  10. 

All  the  miracles  he  wrought  on  earth  were  so  many 
works  of  mercy.  He  could  have  wrought  miracles  to  destroy 
and  ruin  such  as  received  him  not ;  but  his  almighty  power 
was  employed  to  heal  and  to  save  the  bodies  of  men,  that 
thereby  he  might  win  their  souls  unto  himself.  "  God  anoint- 
ed Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power; 
who  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were 
oppressed  of  the  devil ;  for  God  was  with  him."  Acts 
10  :  38.  When  the  apostles  desired  a  commission  from  him 
to  command  fire  from  heaven  to  destroy  the  Samaritans,  he 
rebuked  them,  saying,  "  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit 
ye  are  of.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men's 
lives,  but  to  save  them."  Luke  9  :  55,  56.  The  whole  life 
of  Christ  in  this  world  was  nothing  else  but  a  wooing,  draw- 
ing motive  to  the  hearts  of  sinners  ;  he  rejected  not  the  vilest 
of  sinners.  Luke  7  :  39.  He  rejected  none  that  came  to 
him  ;  he  would  not  have  even  little  children  forbidden  to  be 
brought  unto  him.  Mark  10  :  14.  What  his  winning  com- 
passion should  be,  was  long  before  predicted  by  the  prophet : 
"  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and  the  smoking  flax 
shall  he  not  quench."  Isa.  42  :  3.  Christ  was  in  the  world 
as  a  magnet  drawing  all  men  to  him ;  his  deportment  was 
every  way  suitable  to  his  commission,  which  w^as  to  preach 
good  tidings  unto  the  meek,  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted, 
to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captive,  and  the  opening  of  the 
prison  to  them  that  are  bound.     Isa.  61:1. 

3.  As  his  life,  so  his  doctriiie  ivas  a  most  apathetic  invi- 
tation unto  shiners.  "  Never  man  spake  like  this  man." 
John  7  :  46.  Whenever  he  opened  his  lips,  heaven  opened, 
the  very  heart  of  God  was  opened  to  sinners ;  the  whole 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  145 

Stream  and  current  of  his  doctrine  was  one  continued  power- 
ful persuasive  to  draw  sinners  to  him.  This  was  his  lan- 
guage :  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy- 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  Matt.  11  :  28.  "  In  the 
last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
If  any  man  tliirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  John 
7:37.  He  compares  his  invitations  to  the  call  of  a  hen,  to 
gather  her  chickens  under  her  wings:  "  0  Jerusalem,  Jeru- 
salem, how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children 
together,  as  a  hen  doth  gather  her  brood  under  her  wings  !" 
Luke  13  :  34.  Certainly  the  whole  gospel  is  nothing  but  the 
charming  voice  of  the  heavenly  bridegroom. 

4.  The  joy  he  always  expressed  for  the  success  of  the 
gospel,  shows  him  to  be  an  earnest  suitor  for  the  hearts  of 
sinners.  It  is  very  remarkable  that  all  the  evangelists  who 
have  recorded  the  life  of  Christ,  never  mention  one  laugh 
or  smile  from  him,  for  he  was  "  a  man  of  sorrows."  Yet 
once  we  read  that  he  rejoiced  in  spirit ;  and  you  shall  see  the 
occasion  of  it  in  Luke  10:21:  "  In  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced 
m  spirit."  And  what  was  it  that  gladdened  his  heart 
but  the  report  brought  him  by  the  seventy,  who  returned 
with  joy,  saying,  "  Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  to  us 
through  thy  name !"  And  he  said  unto  them,  "  I  beheld 
Satan  as  lightning  fall  from  heaven."  Ver.  17,  18.  Satan's 
kingdom  was  going  down  in  the  world,  and  the  mysteries  of 
salvation  were  revealed  unto  babes  ;  this  made  his  holy  heart 
leap  with  joy,  to  behold  the  success  of  the  gospel  destroy mg 
Satan's  kingdom,  and  the  poorest,  meanest  among  men  en- 
lightened and  converted  by  it.  This  was  a  cordial  to  his 
very  soul,  and  showed  the  earnestness  of  liis  desire  after 
union  and  communion  with  sinners. 

5.  His  sorroivs  and  ^mourning  upo'n  account  of  the 
obstinacy  and  unbelief  of  sinners,  speak  the  vehemence  of 
his  desire  after  union  with  them.  It  is  said,  Mark  3  :  5, 
"  When  he  had  looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger, 

Chrigt  Knocking.  7 


146  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

"being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts."  You  see 
that  a  hard  heart  is  a  grief  to  Jesus  Christ.  0  how  tenderly 
did  Christ  mourn  over  Jerusalem,  when  it  rejected  him.  It 
is  said  that  when  Jesus  came  nigh  to  the  city,  he  wept  over 
it.  Luke  19  :41.  The  Redeemer's  tears  wept  over  obsti- 
nate Jerusalem  spoke  the  zeal  and  fervor  of  his  concern  for 
their  salvation ;  how  loath  Christ  is  to  give  up  sinners.  What 
a  mournful  voice  is  that  in  John  5  :  40  :  "Ye  will  not  come  \ 
to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  How  ready  would  I  be  to 
give  you  life  ;  but  you  would  rather  die  than  come  to  me  for 
it.  What  can  Christ  do  more  to  express  his  willingness  ? 
All  the  sorrows  that  ever  touched  the  heart  of  Christ  from 
men,  were  on  this  account,  that  they  would  not  yield  to  his 
calls  and  invitations. 

6.  Tliis  appears  to  be  the  great  design  of  Christ,  by  the 
labors  he  underwent  day  and  night  to  accomjMsh  it.  Many 
weary  journeys  Christ  took,  many  sermons  and  prayers  he 
preached  and  poured  out,  and  all  with  the  design  to  open 
the  hearts  of  sinners  to  him,  and  win  the  consent  of  their 
wills  to  become  his.  This  was  the  work  which  he  preferred 
to  his  necessary  food :  "  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his  work."  John  4  :  34.  As  if  he 
had  said,  My  bringing  home  the  elect  of  God  and  saving  them 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  is  more  to  me  than  meat  and  drink. 
So  vehement  and  intense  were  his  desires  after  the  winning 
of  smners,  that  he  would  lose  no  occasion  to  accomplish  it. 
If  he  were  never  so  weary  with  his  travels  and  labors,  and 
an  occasion  offered  to  save  a  lost  soul,  he  would  be  sure  to 
improve  it.  You  have  an  instance  of  this  in  John  4  :  Then 
Cometh  he  to  a  city  of  Samaria,  called  Sychar.  Now  Jacob's 
well  was  there.  Jesus  therefore  being  weary  with  his  jour- 
ney, sat  thus  on  the  well.  Christ  was  weary  with  his  jour- 
ney, and  sat  on  the  well  for  a  little  rest  and  refreshment  in 
the  heat  of  the  day.  At  the  same  time  comes  a  woman  of 
Samajia,  to  draw  water ;  a  great  sinner  she  was  :  Christ 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  147 

compassionately  beholding  this  miserable  object,  forgets  his 
own  weariness,  and  presently  preaches  repentance  to  this 
sinner  and  opens  her  heart ;  a  greater  refreshment  to  him 
than  that  well  could  afford  by  giving  him  a  seat  to  sit  on  or 
water  to  drink. 

7.  The  great  encouragemetits  Christ  alivays  gave  to 
comijig  and  willing  souls,  plainly  show  the  earnest  desire 
of  his  heart  after  union  with  them.  Never  were  such  en- 
couragements given  as  Christ  gave  to  draw  the  souls  of  men 
to  him.  It  is  remarkable  in  what  general  terms  and  forms 
of  expression  he  delivered  them,  that  none  might  be  discour- 
aged, but  come  in  hope  to  him  :  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labor."  Matt.  11  :  28.  "If  any  man  thirst."  John  7  :  37. 
All  the  terms  of  invitation  are  exceeding  large,  which  shows 
the  desire  of  his  heart  to  be  so  also  ;  and  his  practice  was 
answerable  to  his  invitation ;  his  mercies  and  compassions 
never  failed  when  the  vilest  sinners  came  to  him  in  repent- 
ance and  faith.  You  read  that  when  Christ  sat  at  meat  in 
the  house  of  Simon  the  Pharisee,  there  came  in  a  poor  con- 
vinced sinner,  who  had  guilt  enough  upon  her  to  sink  ten 
thousand  souls  to  hell ;  this  poor  woman  comes  with  great 
humility  unto  Christ,  not  presuming  to  come  before  his  face, 
but  falls  down  behind  him,  kisses  his  feet,  washes  them  with 
tears,  and  wipes  them  with  the  hair  of  her  head — all  demon- 
strations of  a  broken  heart.  And  how  did  the  merciful  Jesus 
welcome  this  poor  sinner  ?  He  seals  her  pardon,  commends 
the  fervor  of  her  affections,  and  sends  her  away  a  joyful 
soul,  Luke  7  :  37-50  ;  herein  making  good  that  gracious 
promise,  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
John  6 : 37. 

8.  The  dreadful  threatenings  of  Christ  against  all 
ivho  refuse  him  and  shut  the  doors  of  their  hearts  against 
him,  show  his  vehement  desire  to  prevent  the  loss  and 
ruin  of  souls.  The  threatenings  of  Christ  are  not  intend- 
ed to  discourage  any  from  commg  to  him,  to  fright  away 


148  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOE-. 

souls  from  him ;  no,  that  is  not  their  intention :  but  to 
"bring  them  under  a  blessed  necessity  of  compliance  with  his 
terms.  0  the  dreadful  threatenings  which,  like  claps  of 
thunder,  come  from  the  mouth  of  Christ  against  all  who 
refuse  or  delay  to  come  unto  him  :  "  If  ye  believe  not  that 
I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  John  8  :  24.  "He  that 
belie veth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life."  John  3  :  36. 
What  a  terrible  thunder-clap  is  that  against  all  unbelievers. 
"He  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned."  Mark  16  :  16. 
All  these  and  many  more  warnings  are  given  from  heaven 
to  prevent  the  ruin  of  men ;  the  very  threatenings  of  the 
gospel  carry  a  design  of  mercy  in  them  :  damnation  is  threat- 
ened, that  it  may  be  prevented. 

9.  And  then,  in  the  last  place,  herein  appears  the  earnest- 
ness of  Christ  after  union  with  simiers,  that  when  he  could 
be  no  longer  a  preacher  to  this  world  in  his  own  person,  he 
ordahied  a  succession  of  muiisters,  in  his  bodily  absence 
from  us,  to  gather  and  build  the  church,  and  to  continue  to 
the  end  of  the  world — to  carry  on  the  suit  that  Christ  had 
begun,  as  long  as  there  was  one  elect  soul  in  the  world  lying 
in  the  state  of  sin  and  nature. 

Christ  could  not  always  abide  here  ;  he  must  die,  or  we 
could  not  live  ;  he  must  rise  again,  or  we  could  not  be  justi- 
fied ;  our  interests  called  him  to  another  place  and  state. 
Now  when  Christ  was  to  ascend  to  heaven,  he  chooses  and 
calls  men,  men  like  ourselves,  whose  presence  and  appear- 
ance should  not  affright  or  discourage  us — who  should  treat 
with  us  in  a  familiar  way  about  the  great  concerns  of  our 
salvation  in  his  name  and  stead.  "  We  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  :  we  pray 
you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  2  Cor. 
5  :  20.  He  did  not  commission  angels  to  be  his  legates, 
their  presence  would  confound  and  terrify  us  ;  but  men  cast 
in  the  same  mould  with  yourselves,  who  may  say  to  you  as 
Elihu  said  to  Job,  "  Behold,  I  am  according  to  thy  wish  in 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  149 

God's  stead  :  I  also  am  formed  out  of  the  clay.  Behold,  my 
terror  shall  not  make  thee  afraid,  neither  shall  my  hand  he 
heavy  upon  thee."  Joh  33  :  6,  7.  Upon  these  commis- 
sioned officers  of  Christ  he  poured  forth  excellent  gifts,  in 
great  and  useful  variety,  to  fit  the  capacities  and  various  dis- 
positions of  men's  souls.  When  he  ascended  up  on  high  he 
gave  gifts  unto  men.  Psalm  68  :  18  ;  this  ministerial  office 
is  hy  him  estahlished  in  the  church,  "till  we  all  come  in  the 
unity  of  the  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  G  od, 
unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fulness  of  Christ."  Eph.  4  :  13.  Unto  these  his  ministers 
he  gives  the  highest  encouragements  to  quicken  them  in  their 
labors.  If  one  do  one  part  of  the  vv^ork  and  another  the 
other — if  one  soM'eth  and  another  reapeth,  he  tells  them 
both,  "  He  that  reapeth  receiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit 
unto  life  eternal ;  that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reap- 
eth may  rejoice  together."  John  4:36.  He  tells  them  that 
every  soul  they  win  to  him  shall  be  as  a  jewel  in  their  crown 
of  glory.  "  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness, as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."  Dan.  12  : 3.  What 
is  Christ's  intention  in  all  these  encouragements  to  his  min- 
isters ?  Surely,  it  is  as  if  he  should  say  to  his  servants, 
Study  hard,  pray  earnestly,  plead  with  sinners  affectionately  ; 
every  soul  you  win  to  me  shall  make  an  addition  to  your 
glory  in  heaven. 

.  Weigh  now  the  force  of  this  second  demonstration  from 
the  life  of  Christ.  Will  you  have  a  proof  of  Christ's  earnest- 
ness to  gain  the  hearts  of  sinners  ?  his  whole  life  on  earth 
was  a  proof  of  it ;  his  doctrine,  so  full  of  pathetic  invitations, 
proves  it ;  the  joy  of  his  heart  at  the  success  of  the  gospel — 
his  tears  and  sorrows  for  the  obstinacy  of  unbehevers — his 
labors  and  travels  to  gather  sinners  to  him — his  admirable 
encouragements  put  into  general  invitations — his  dreadful 
threatenings  to  all  who  reject  his  invitations — his  commis- 


150  CHRIST  KNOCKINO  AT   THE   DOOR,. 

sioning  and  qualifying,  continuing  and  encouraging  his  min- 
isters to  carry  on  his  suit  in  his  name — all  these  things  make 
a  full  demonstration  that  Jesus  Christ  is  an  earnest  suitor 
for  union  and  communion  with  the  souls  of  sinners. 

III.  The  death  of  Christ  is  the  fullest  demonstration 
that  ever  was  or  can  be  given  of  his  love  to  sinners,  and 
desire  after  union  and  communion  with  them.  His  doctrine 
and  life  discovered  much,  but  his  sufferings  and  death  abun- 
dantly more.  In  his  doctrine  he  spent  his  breath,  but  upon 
the  cross  he  spent  his  blood.  Here  he  comes  suing  to  the 
souls  of  sinners  in  his  scarlet  robes,  his  red  garments — gar- 
ments dipt  in  his  own  blood.  You  may  now  propound  the 
same  admiring  question  the  church  propounded,  Isa.  63  : 1,  2  : 
"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments 
from  Bozrah ;  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travel- 
ling in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  ?  Wherefore  art  thou 
red  in  thine  apparel,  and  thy  garments  like  him  that  treadeth 
in  the  wine-fat  ?"  Wilt  thou  know,  sinner,  why  he  comes 
to  thee  in  red  garments  ?  It  is  to  give  thee  such  a  demon- 
stration of  his  love  as  may  draw  forth  all  the  love  of  thy 
heart  to  him  ;  by  this  blood  he  has  purchased  thy  soul  as  a 
spouse  for  himself  Acts  20  :  28.  There  are  two  things  in 
the  death  of  Christ  which  prove  the  fervor  of  his  desires 
after  us  :  the  greatness  of  the  sufferings  which  he  endured, 
and  the  end  to  v/hich  they  were  designed ;  both  of  which 
show  how  the  heart  of  Christ  is  heated  with  the  vehemency 
of  his  own  desires  after  union  with  our  poor  souls. 

1.  The  greatness  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ  shows  the 
ardor  of  his  affection.  Christ's  sufferings  are  twofold,  exter- 
nal in  his  body,  and  internal  in  his  soul ;  both  together 
making  up  the  fulness  of  his  sufferings.  When  you  shall 
see  what  Christ  has  endured  to  purchase  you  to  himself, 
then  you  may  learn  what  a  value  he  placed  upon  you,  and 
what  desire  he  has  after  you. 

(1.)  The  external  sufferings  of  Christ  in  his  body  were 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  151 

exceedingly  great,  for  the  death  he  died  was  not  a  natural, 
but  a  violent  death.  This  death  was  not  in  accordance  with 
his  nature  ;  for  he  was  not  a  sinner,  and  no  punishment  was 
due  to  him.  His  body  was  intended  for  a  sacrifice  to  God, 
and  as  a  sacrifice  it  died;  therefore  it  is  said,  he  was  "put  to 
death  in  the  flesh,"  1  Pet.  3  :  18 — his  soul  and  body  were 
violently  rent  asunder  in  the  fulness  of  his  strength  and 
vigor.  And  this  violent  death  was  also  a  cursed  death :  he 
was  "made  a  curse  for  us;  for  it  is  written.  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree."  Gal.  3  :  13.  A  ceremonial 
curse  was  affixed  to  the  death  of  the  cross ;  he  that  is  hanged 
is  accursed  of  God,  saith  the  law :  the  intention  of  that  death 
was  to  show  that  the  person  who  died  was  so  vile  that  he 
was  not  worthy  to  touch  heaven  or  earth,  and  therefore  was 
hanged  between  both.  Moreover,  the  violent  death  Christ 
died  was  a  most  painful  death — full  of  torture,  slow  and 
lingering;  the  cross  was  a  rack  to  the  body  of  Christ  :  "I 
may  tell  all  my  bones ;  they  look  and  stare  upon  me." 
Psalm  22  :  17.     But  yet, 

(2.)  The  sufierings  of  his  body  were  but  the  body  of  his 
sufferings  ;  the  sufierings  of  his  soul  were  the  very  soul  of 
his  sufierings.  These  inward  sufierings  of  Christ  may  like- 
wise be  considered  two  ways.  1.  In  his  bitter  sufierings  in 
the  garden.  0  what  agonies  and  conflicts,  what  sharp  en- 
counters and  distresses  his  soul  there  met  with  from  the 
wrath  of  God  endured  for  your  sakes.  Once  and  again  he 
cried  out,  Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  ;  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  :  thrice  he 
returned  to  the  same  place,  falling  on  his  face  to  the  ground. 
The  sufferings  of  his  soul  threw  his  blessed  body  into  a 
bloody  agony  :  "  His  sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of 
blood  falling  down  to  the  ground."  Luke  22  :  44.  2.  In 
the  fulness  of  his  sufferings  on  the  cross.  There  was  his  soul 
for  a  time  deserted  of  the  Father,  as  to  any  communications 
of  joy  and  comfort  from  him,  which  occasioned  the  bitter 


152  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

outcry,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 
Matt.  27  :  46.  Never  was  such  a  cry  heard  since  the  heav- 
ens were  spread  over  the  earth  ;  never  had  Christ  seen  a 
frown  in  his  Father's  face,  from  eternity,  before  this  tirfle  ; 
but  now  the  smiUng  face  of  God  was  hid,  and  a  strong  im- 
pression of  his  wrath  made  upon  his  Son.  And  now,  breth- 
ren, you  see  what  Christ  hath  endured  both  in  his  body  and 
in  his  soul ;  and  all  for  the  sake  of  sinners.  What  think 
you  now ;  is  not  Christ  an  earnest  suitor  ?  Does  not  all  this 
fully  and  plainly  speak  the  ardor  of  his  love,  the  fervor  of 
his  desire  after  union  and  communion  with  us  ?  If  this  do 
not,  then  nothing  can  demonstrate  love  and  desire. 

2.  Let  us  next  consider  the  intentio7i  of  these  sufferings 
of  Christy  and  how  this  also  demonstrates  the  earnestness 
of  his  desire  after  union  with  us.  There  was  a  double  use 
and  end  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 

(1.)  One  end  of  Christ's  death  was  to  i^ur  chase  our  free- 
dom, that  we  might  be  culpable  of  being  espoused  to  him ; 
for  we  were  not  in  a  capacity,  while  under  the  curse  of 
the  law,  to  be  married  mito  Christ.  The  apostle  compares 
the  law  to  a  husband,  to  whom  the  wife  is  bound  as  long 
as  he  liveth,  and  not  capable  of  a  second  marriage  until 
her  husband  be  dead.  Rom.  7  :  2,  3.  The  death  of  Christ 
was  the  death  of  the  law,  as  a  covenant  of  works  hold- 
ing us  under  its  curse;  and  so  it  gave  us  a  manumission 
or  freedom  from  that  bond,  and  a  capacity  of  espousals  to 
Christ :  "Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead 
to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye  should  be  married 
to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead."  Verse 
4.  A  slave  to  another  is  not  capable  of  being  disposed  of 
in  marriage  until  made  free  :  you  were  in  bondage  to  the 
law — the  slaves  of  sin  and  Satan  ;  Christ  bought  your  lib- 
erty, for  his  blood  is  called  a  ransom.  Matt.  20  :  28,  and  so 
put  you  into  a  capacity  of  being  espoused  to  himself.  Here 
you  see  Christ  loved  you  not  for  any  advantage  he  could  re- 


UNION   AND  COMMUNION.  153 

ceive  from  you,  for  you  had  nothing  to  bring  him  ;  nay,  he 
must  purchase  you,  and  that  with  his  own  blood,  before  he 
could  be  united  to  you.  0  incomparable  love ;  0  fervent 
desires  I 

(2.)  Another  design  of  the  death  of  Christ  was  to  gain 
our  hearts  and  affections  to  himself  by  the  arguments  of  his 
death;  this  he  himself  has  declared  to  be  the  intention  of  it : 
"  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
me.  This  he  said,  signifying  what  death  he  should  die." 
John  12  :  32,  33.  Christ  endured  all  that  you  have  heard, 
and  infinitely  more  than  the  tongue  or  pen  of  man  can  ex- 
press ;  and  all  to  draw  thy  soul,  and  win  thy  consent  to 
come  unto  him. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  by  his  sufferings,  casts  a  threefold  cord 
over  the  souls  of  sinners  to  draw  them  to  himself. 

The  death  of  Christ  obtains  complete  righteousness  for 
guilty  sinners  ;  and  if  any  thing  will  draw  the  heart  of  a 
sinner  to  Christ,  this  will.  The  anxious  search  and  inquiry 
of  a  convinced  sinner  is  after  a  perfect  righteousness  to  jus- 
tify him  before  God.  This  is  what  the  sinner  wants  ;  con- 
science says,  Thou  hast  broken  all  the  laws  of  God,  and  art 
therefore  condemned  :  the  law  sentences  thee  to  hell.  Now 
what  would  a  poor  sinner  give  for  a  release  from  this  sen- 
tence of  the  law  ?  0,  ten  thousand  worlds  for  a  pardon ! 
Why,  here  it  is,  saith  Christ ;  come  unto  me,  and  thou  shalt 
receive  a  free,  full,  and  final  pardon ;  my  blood  cleanseth 
from  all  sm,  my  righteousness  answers  all  the  demands  of 
the  law.  I  have  taken  away  the  handwriting  that  was 
against  thee,  and  nailed  it  to  my  cross.  Col.  2  :  14.  Come 
unto  me,  and  take  up  thy  cancelled  bonds  ;  come  unto  me, 
and  divine  justice  shall  never  fright  thy  conscience  more  ; 
nay,  thou  shalt  build  thy  hope  upon  it.  You  read  that  God 
hath  set  forth  Christ  "  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God  ;  to  declare,  I 


154  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness  ;  that  he  might  be  just, 
and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus."  Rom, 
3  :  25,  26.  Here  you  see  the  justification  and  pardon  of  a 
sinner  built  upon  that  very  attribute  which  was  so  dreadful 
to  him  before.  Well  then,  sinner,  is  there  guilt  upon  thy 
conscience,  and  does  thy  soul  shake  and  quiver  to  think 
how  it  shall  stand  before  the  just  and  terrible  God  in  the 
great  day  ?  Hearken  to  the  voice  of  Christ  crucified,  who 
calls  thee  to  receive  thy  discharge  ;  which  if  thou  refuse, 
the  law  still  stands  in  its  full  force  against  thy  soul.  This  is 
one  cord  Christ  casts  from  the  cross  over  the  souls  of  guilty 
sinners,  to  draw  them  to  him. 

The  death  of  Christ  jyrocurc?,  'perfect  cleansing  from  the 
pollution  of  sin,  and  ivashes  the  souls  of  sinners  from  all 
their  uncleanness.  For,  "  this  is  he  that  came  by  water  and 
blood,  even  Jesus  Christ ;  not  by  water  only,  but  by  water 
and  blood."  1  John,  5:6.  He  comes  by  sanctification,  as 
well  as  by  justification.  Lord,  saith  the  convinced  sinner, 
what  an  unclean  nature,  heart,  and  life  have  I  ?  Oh,  I  am 
nothing  but  uncleanness,  an  abhorrence  to  God  and  myself 
How  shall  such  a  heart  as  mine  be  cleansed  ?  Come  unto 
me,  saith  Christ ;  I  came  by  water  as  well  as  blood  ;  in  me 
thou  shalt  find  a  fountain  for  sanctification  as  well  as  justifi- 
cation :  come  unto  me,  my  Spirit  shall  cleanse  thy  heart ;  he 
shall  take  away  the  pollutions  of  sin,  so  that  it  shall  be  pre- 
sented to  God  without  spot. 

The  transcendent  love  of  Christ  shines  out  in  its  full 
strejigth  upon  the  soids  of  sinners  from  the  cross  ;  and  there 
is  nothing  like  love  to  attract  love.  When  Christ  was  lifted 
up  upon  the  cross,  he  gave  such  a  glorious  demonstration  of 
the  strength  of  his  love  to  sinners,  as  one  would  think  should 
draw  love  from  the  hardest  heart  that  ever  lodged  in  a  sin- 
ner's breast.  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but 
that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins."     1  John,  4:10.     Here  is  the  triumph,  the  riches 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  155 

and  glory  of  divine  love  ;  never  was  such  love  manifested  in 
the  world.  There  is  much  of  Grod's  love  in  temporal  provi- 
dences, but  all  is  as  nothing  to  this  ;  this  is  love  in  its  high- 
est elevation,  its  meridian  glory  ;  before  it  was  none  like  it, 
and  after  it  shall  none  appear  like  it.  Thus  you  see  Christ 
casting  forth  from  the  cross  a  threefold  cord,  which  is  not 
easily  broken,  to  draw  the  hearts  of  smners  to  him. 

IV.  What  a  mighty  demonstration  of  the  desire  of  his 
heart  towards  us,  did  our  Redeemer  give  at  his  ascension 
INTO  HEAVEN.  As  the  whole  life  of  Christ  upon  earth  was 
a  persuasive  argument  to  draw  sinners  to  him,  so  his  ascen- 
sion to  heaven  has  many  mighty  attractives  for  the  hearts  of 
men.     I  will  only  mention  two. 

1 .  The  gifts  he  bestowed  on  men  at  his  ascension,  for 
this  very  purpose;  whereof  the  Psalmist  gives  this  account : 
''  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led  captivity  cap- 
tive :  thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men ;  yea,  for  the  rebellious 
also,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  them."  Psalm 
68  :  18,  He  alli\des  to  the  Roman  conquerors,  who  in  the 
day  of  their  triumph,  scattered  their  gifts  among  the  people. 
Thus  Christ  at  his  ascension  shed  forth  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
in  various  kinds,  qualifying  men  for  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try, to  enable  them  to  plead  with  your  souls  and  carry  on 
his  suit  when  he  should  be  in  heaven.  These  gifts  were  ex- 
traordinary in  the  first  age,  as  the  gifts  of  tongues  and  mir- 
acles ;  and  ordinary,  to  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
Eph.  4 :  8,  13.  To  some  he  gives  depth  of  learning  and 
judgment,  to  others  pathos,  a  melting  influence  upon  the 
affections  ;  but  all  are  designed  to  win  your  hearts  to  Christ. 
This  shows  what  care  he  took,  and  what  provision  he  made 
for  the  success  of  his  great  design  to  draw  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners to  him. 

2.  The  ends  of  his  ascension,  as  they  are  declared  in 
Scripture,  plainly  show  the  vehemency  of  Christ's  desire  to 
draw  souls  to  him.     The  declared  ends  of  his  ascension  were, 


156  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

(1.)  To  make  way  for  the  Sjnrit's  co?ni?ig  to  convince, 
convert,  and  comfort  all  that  come  unto  him  :  "  Neverthe- 
less I  tell  you  the  truth  ;  it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
away ;  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come 
unto  you ;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you.  And 
when  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  | 
righteousness,  and  of  judgment."  John  16  :  7,  8.  "Without 
the  conviction  of  these  things,  no  man  can  come  to  Christ ; 
and  no  such  convictions  can  be  wrought  upon  the  conscience 
of  any  man,  without  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Spirit  could  not 
have  come  to  effect  these  things  upon  men's  hearts,  if  Christ 
had  not  ascended  :  "  But  this  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which 
they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive,  for  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  not  yet  given,  because  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified." 
John  7:39.  Thus  Christ  provided  for  carrying  on  his  great 
design  upon  your  hearts  when  he  was  entering  into  his  own 
glory  :  the  thoughts  of  that  glory  made  him  not  to  forget  his 
great  design  upon  earth. 

(2.)  Another  end  of  Christ's  ascension  was,  to  make  in- 
tercession with  the  Father  for  every  soul  that  should  come 
unto  him ;  that  their  future  sins  might  make  no  breach  of 
the  covenant  between  God  and  them  :  a  privilege  that 
should  draw  the  hearts  of  all  sinners  to  him.  "  My  little 
children,  these  things  I  write  unto  you  that  ye  sin  not." 
Mark  it,  the  intercession  of  Christ  must  encourage  no  man 
to  sin  ;  that  would  be  a  vile  abuse  of  the  grace  of  God. 
But  "if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Fa- 
ther, Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  :  and  he  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins."  1  John,  2:1,2.  That  is,  if  sin  surprise  and 
deceive  a  regenerate  soul,  the  bent  of  whose  heart  is  against 
it,  let  him  not  be  discouraged  ;  he  has  a  potent  Advocate 
ascended  into  the  heavens,  to  continue  the  peace  between 
God  and  that  soul.  0  what  an  encouragement  is  here 
to  gain  the  consent  of  a  sinner's  heart  to  embrace  Jesus 
Christ. 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  157 

(3.)  Another  declared  end  of  Christ's  ascension  was,  to 
lead  captivity  captive,  as  in  the  forecited  place,  Psalm 
68  :  18 ;  that  is,  to  lead  captive  and  triumph  over  Satan  as 
a  conquered  enemy,  who  lead  us  captive  in  the  days  of  our 
vanity.  He  conquered  Satan  upon  the  cross.  Col.  2:15, 
and  he  triumphed  over  him  at  his  ascension;  and  without 
such  a  conquest  and  triumph  no  soul  could  come  to  Christ. 

(4.)  In  a  word,  Christ  ascended  into  heaven  to  prepare 
mansions  of  rest  and  glory  for  every  soul  that  should  em- 
brace him  by  repentance  and  faith  in  this  world.  "  In  my 
Father's  house  are  many  mansions  :  if  it  were  not  so,  I 
would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you."  John 
14  :  2.  As  if  he  had  said.  It  satisfies  me  not  to  enjoy  my 
glory  in  heaven  alone  ;  all  that  come  unto  me  by  faith,  shall 
be  with  me  where  I  am ;  let  them  know,  for  their  encour- 
agement, that  the  glory  which  God  hath  given  me,  I  have 
given  them.  John  17  :  22.  All  these  things  loudly  speak 
the  fervent  desire  of  Christ's  soul  after  union  and  communion 
with  sinners  ;  which  was  the  thing  to  be  demonstrated. 

Having  proved  the  point  that  Christ  is  an  earnest  suitor 
for  union  and  communion  with  the  souls  of  sinners,  we  next 
come  to  show  the  marvellous  grace  and  condescension 
OF  Christ  that  it  should  be  so.  And  this  will  appear  five 
ways,  to  the  astonisliment  of  every  considering  soul. 

1.  Though  Christ  be  thus  intent  and  earnest  in  his  suit 
for  your  consent,  yet  he  gains  nothing  by  you  ichen  you  do 
consent;  the  gam  is  to  yourselves,  and  not  to  him  :  He  "is 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever,"  Rom.  9  :  5 — above  all  acces- 
sions from  the  creature.  What  does  the  sun  gain  by  enlight- 
ening and  animating  the  world  ?  Or  what  does  a  fountain 
gain  when  men  drink  and  are  refreshed  by  its  waters  ?  If 
any  soul  that  hears  me  this  day  should  resolve  henceforth  to 
break  asunder  all  the  ties  and  engagements  between  him  and 
sin — to  subscribe  the  articles  of  the  gospel— to  give  away 


158  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOH. 

himself,  soul  and  body,  to  Christ — to  live  henceforth  as  a 
dedicated  servant  to  the  Lord  Jesus — this  would  turn  to  the 
infinite  and  everlasting  advantage  of  such  a  soul ;  but  Christ 
cannot  be  profited  thereby. 

2.  And  that  which  still  increases  the  wonder  is,  that 
though  Christ  make  no  profit  by  our  conversion,  yet  has  he 
impoverished  himself  to  gain  such  unjprojitable  creatures  as 
ive  are  to  him.  He  hath  made  himself  poor  to  make  us 
rich  ;  so  speaks  the  apostle  :  "  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes 
he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich." 
2  Cor.  8  :  9.  He  expends  his  riches,  but  gains  no  advan- 
tage to  himself.  His  incarnation  impoverished  his  reputa- 
tion. Phil.  2:7.  How  poor  was  Christ  when  he  said,  "  But 
I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man  ;  a  reproach  of  men,  and  despised 
of  the  people."  Psalm  22  :  6.  How  poor  in  temporal  com- 
forts, when  he  said,  "  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of 
the  air  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head."  Matt.  8  :  20.  Yea,  how  poor  was  he  in  spirit- 
ual comforts,  when  that  astonishing  cry  broke  from  him  upon 
the  cross,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 
Matt.  27  :  46.  0  let  it  astonish  us,  that  Christ  should  ear- 
nestly desire  union  with  our  souls  upon  terms  of  such  deep 
self-denial  to  himself. 

3.  Though  Christ  gain  nothing  by  you,  and  impover- 
ished himself  for  you,  yet  he  endures  many  vile  repidses, 
delays,  and  denials  of  his  suit,  and  yet  ivill  not  leave  you. 
0  astonishing  grace  I  One  woiild  think  that  the  least  delay, 
and  much  more  a  refusal  of  an  overture  from  Christ,  upon 
such  terms  as  these,  would  make  his  indignation  quickly 
rise  against  such  a  soul ;  and  that  he  would  say,  Thou  hast 
refused  my  ofier,  so  full  of  self-denying  and  condescending 
grace,  and  never  shall  another  offer  be  made  to  so  unworthy 
a  soul.  Yet  you  see  he  is  contented  to  wait  as  well  as  knock : 
"  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock." 


UNION  AND   COMMUNION.  159 

4.  Herein  the  admirable  grace  of  this  heavenly  suitor 
appears,  that  Jesus  Christ  passes  by  millions  of  creatures 
of  more  excellent  gifts,  and  never  makes  them  one  offer  of 
himself,  never  turns  aside  to  give  one  knock  at  their  door; 
but  comes  to  thee,  the  vilest  of  creatures,  and  will  not  go 
from  thy  door  without  being  heard.  Knowest  thou  not,  sin- 
ner, that  among  the  unsanctified  there  are  multitudes  of  men 
and  women  of  more  excellent  parts,  strong  memories,  and 
solid  judgments — yea,  of  purer  conversation,  strict  morality, 
adorned  with  excellent  social  virtues,  capable,  if  called,  to 
do  him  abundantly  more  service  than  thou  canst  ?  yet  these 
are  passed  by,  and  he  becomes  a  suitor  to  such  a  poor  worth- 
less thing  as  thou  art,  yea,  and  rejoices  in  his  choice.  "I 
thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because 
thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and 
hast  revealed  them  unto  babes."  Matt.  11  :  25.  Here  is 
the  triumph  of  free-grace. 

5.  This  increases  the  wonder,  that  Jesus  Christ  should 
desire  and  delight  to  divell  in  such  an  unclean  heart  as 
thine,  which,  from  the  beginning,  has  been  the  seat  and 
throne  of  Satan,  full  of  all  uncleanness  and  abominations. 
0  that  Christ  should  make  an  overture  of  love  to  such  a 
polluted  soul — that  he  should  choose  to  erect  his  throne 
where  Satan's  seat  was  !  Look  into  thine  own  heart,  sinner, 
and  think  what  can  Christ  see  there  to  be  desired  ?  Thou 
knowest  thy  heart  has  been  a  sink  of  sin,  thy  conscience  like 
a  sewer,  into  which  all  the  filth  of  thy  life  has  been  cast ; 
yet  Christ  passes  by  thee,  as  thou  liest  in  thy  blood  and  filthi- 
ness,  and  casts  his  love  upon  thee  and  his  desire  towards 
thee.  Ezek.  16  :  6,  8.  All  these  things  make  it  astonishing 
in  our  eyes  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  should 
become  an  earnest  suitor  for  union  and  communion  with  the 
souls  of  sinners. 

Inference  1.  If  Christ  is  such  an  earnest  suitor  for 
union  and  communion  with  the  souls  of  sinners,  it  follows, 


160  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOE. 

that  sin7iers  can  justly  charge  their  damnation  wpon  none 
hut  themselves,.  Your  blood  must  be  upon  your  own  heads ; 
salvation  by  Christ  is  not  only  freely  offered,  but  you  are 
with  great  importunity  persuaded  to  accept  it.  Christ  offers 
you  life,  and  you  choose  rather  to  die  than  accept  it  upon  his 
terms ;  where  now  can  your  ruin  be  charged  but  upon  your 
own  wilful  obstinacy?  "0  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thy- 
self" Hosea  13:9.  Thou  art  the  author  of  thine  own 
ruin ;  I  would  have  gathered  thy  children,  said  Christ  to 
Jerusalem,  but  thou  wouldest  not ;  your  ruin,  therefore,  lies 
upon  yourselves,  and  upon  none  besides.  Indeed,  if  the  min- 
isters of  Christ  are  negligent  in  their  duty,  they  may  be 
accessories  to  your  destruction ;  but  that  is  poor  relief  to  you. 
As  for  myself,  I  hope  I  may,  with  Paul,  take  God  to  record 
this  day,  that  "I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men." 
Acts  10  :  26.  Now,  consider  what  a  dismal  aggravation  of 
your  destruction  will  this  be,  that  you  perished  by  your  own 
hands :  this  cuts  off  all  plea  and  apology. 

2.  Hence  it  also  follows,  that  distressed  sinners  have 
ow  reason  to  question  Christ's  ivillingness  to  receive  them 
when  their  hearts  are  made  iailli?ig  to  come  unto  him. 
It  would  be  little  less  than  a  blasphemous  imputation  of 
insincerity  to  Christ  himself,  to  question  his  willingness  to 
receive  broken-hearted  sinners,  after  so  many  protestations  as 
he  has  made  in  the  gospel,  of  his  earnestness  for  their  salva- 
tion ;  that  scripture,  John  6  :  37,  puts  it  out  of  doubt :  "  Him 
that  Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  I  know 
guilt  breeds  many  fears  and  jealousies  in  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners ;  will  Christ  ever  accept  and  receive  such  a  one  as  I  ? 
Try  him,  he  has  said  he  will :  let  him  have  but  the  deliberate 
consent  of  thy  heart  to  his  terms,  and  then,  if  thou  art 
rejected,  thou  wilt  be  the  first  soul  that  ever  met  a  repulse 
from  him. 

3.  By  Christ's  earnest  suit  for  the  souls  of  sinners,  you 
may  see  the  inestimable  worth  of  the  soul  of  man.     Were 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  161 

not  the  soul  of  man  of  great  value,  Jesus  Christ  would  never 
be  so  deeply  concerned  about  winning  and  saving  it.  Sin- 
ners have  a  low  esteem  of  their  own  souls — they  will  sell 
them  for  naught;  but  Christ  knows  their  true  worth,  and 
his  solicitude  to  save  them  is  answerable  to  his  estimation 
of  them ;  he  counts  when  he  has  gained  a  soul,  that  he  has 
gained  a  treasure.  Therefore  he  pleads  and  waits  so  ear- 
nestly for  the  salvation  of  them.  Two  things  speak  the  great 
value  of  the  soul  of  man. 

(1.)  That  it  is  now  capable  of  espousals  to  the  So?i  of 
God;  upon  which  account  it  is  that  Christ  so  earnestly  seeks 
its  love,  and  sues  for  its  consent.  This  is  a  dignity  beyond 
that  of  all  other  creatures  in  heaven  or  in  earth ;  no  angel 
in  heaven,  no  other  creature  but  the  soul  of  man  on  earth,  is 
capable  of  espousals  to  Christ.  It  is  a  dignity  above  that 
of  angels,  for  Christ  took  not  on  him  their  nature,  and  the 
union  of  the  divine  and  human  natures  is  the  foundation  of 
the  union  between  Christ  and  his  people.  Angels  are  mem- 
bers indeed  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  he  is  to  them  a  head  of 
domirtion;  but  the  honor  was  never  conferred  upon  angels 
to  be  members  of  his  body,  flesh  and  bones,  as  the  saints 
are.     Eph.  5  :  30. 

(2.)  As  the  soul  is  capable  of  espousals  to  Christ  on  earth, 
so  it  is  capable  of  glory  ivith  Christ  in  heaven  throughout 
eternity.  "Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am ;  that  they  may  behold 
my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me."  John  17  :  24.  The 
soul  of  man  has  a  natural  capacity  of  enjoying  eternal  bless- 
edness which  other  creatures  have  not.  And  this  will  be 
the  aggravation  of  hell-torments,  that  men  capable  of  the 
highest  happiness  should,  as  it  were,  receive  that  capacity 
in  vain ;  but  that  which  constitutes  an  actual  right  to  the 
everlasting  enjoyment  of  Christ  in  glory,  is  the  soul's  espou- 
sals to  him  here  by  his  grace.  Upon  these  two  accounts  it  is 
that  Christ  puts  such  a  price  upon  them,  courts  theii  love  so 


162  CHRIST  KNOCIvINa  AT  THE    DOOE.. 

afiectioiiately,  laments  their  loss  so  pathetically,  and  encour- 
ages his  ministers  to  all  diligence  in  persuading  and  wooing 
them  for  him  with  such  abundant  rewards.  Dan.  12  :  3. 
Know  then  your  own  worth  and  dignity ;  neither  pawn  nor 
sell  so  precious  a  thing  as  thy  soul  for  any  thing  Satan  can 
set  before  thee  by  way  of  exchange  for  it.  "What  shall  a 
man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  I"  Mark  8  :  37. 

4.  Is  Christ  such  an  earnest  suitor  for  union  Mdth  sin- 
ners ?  then  certainly^  they  are  the  enemies  of  Christ  and 
the  souls  of  men,  ivho  any  ivay  endeavor  to  hinder  or  break 
off  the  union  between  Christ  and  them. 

Some  there  are  who  labor  to  create  jealousies  and  preju- 
dices in  the  souls  of  men  against  Christ  and  his  ways — men 
that  bring  up  an  evil  report  of  Christ  and  religion,  as  that 
which  will  expose  them  to  all  the  miseries  of  the  world. 
Instigated  by  Satan,  they  whisper  into  the  soul's  ear,  whom 
Christ  is  wooing  for  himself,  that  the  severity  of  rehgion  will 
certainly  extinguish  all  their  joys  and  pleasures  ;  they  shall 
never  laugh  more,  never  be  merry  any  more ;  besides,  it  will 
expose  all  their  comforts  upon  earth  to  hazard,  their  estates 
and  hves  must  fall  a  prey  to  their  enemies,  and  this  suffering 
is  the  estate  with  which  Christ  will  endow  them  if  they  con- 
sent to  his  terms.  And  that  this  is  no  groundless  jealousy 
of  their  own,  bat  that  Christ  himself  has  openly  declared  as 
much  :  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me,  is  not 
worthy  of  me  ;  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  than 
me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross, 
and  followeth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  Matt.  10  :  37, 
38.  This  is  what  they  must  expect  as  the  fruit  of  their  con- 
sent to  Christ's  proposals.  But  0,  what  will  these  men  have 
to  answer,  and  how  will  they  stand  before  Christ  another  day, 
who  are  such  professed  enemies  to  his  cross,  and  set  them- 
selves so  directly  in  opposition  to  the  great  designs  of  Christ ! 
Is  it  not  enough  that  you  will  not  enter  yourselves,  but  you 
will  hmder  them  that  would  ?    Matt.  23:13.     Thus  ungodly 


UKION  AND  COMMUNION.  163 

parents  discourage  their  children,  and  one  relative  another. 
But,  to  help  souls  under  this  discouragement,  I  will  leave 
only  this  one  caution  with  them,  that  such  seeming  friends 
are  real  enemies,  their  words  are  poison  to  your  souls.  Satan 
has  employed  them  to  do  his  work,  and  hired  their  tongues  for 
his  service.  But  if  the  serious  care  of  salvation,  and  fervent 
love  of  Christ  be  in  thy  heart,  thou  wilt  resolve,  as  Jerome 
did,  "  If  my  father  and  my  mother  should  hang  about  my 
neck  with  tears  and  entreaties  to  keep  me  from  Christ,  I 
would  fling  off  my  father  and  my  mother,  to  go  to  Christ." 

To  this  head  also  belong  all  those  scandals  and  offences 
which  loose  and  careless  professors  cast  in  the  way  to  discour- 
age others  from  coming  unto  Christ  :  "Woe  unto  the  world 
because  of  offences."  Matt.  18:7.  Woe  to  the  world,  this  will 
be  their  ruin ;  for  by  this  means  such  prejudices  will  be  begot- 
ten in  their  souls  against  Christ  and  religion,  as  they  will 
never  be  able  to  free  themselves  from.  "Whoso  shall  offend 
one  of  these  little  ones  which  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for 
him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that 
he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea."  Matt.  18  :  6. 
Christians,  look  carefully  to  your  conversation;  for  besides 
the  evil  effects  of  sin  upon  yourselves,  you  see  the  mischiev- 
ous effects  of  it  upon  others.  And  thus  we  may  understand 
those  words,  "  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
by  the  roes  and  by  the  hinds  of  the  field,  that  ye  stir  not 
up  nor  awake  my  love  till  he  please."  Sol,  Song  2  :  7.  Roes 
and  hinds  are  timid  creatures,  the  least  noise  will  startle 
and  fright  them  away  :  such  are  those  who  are  coming  to 
Christ ;  young  beginners  in  the  ways  of  religion,  how  small 
a  matter  may  discourage  them.  0  friend,  you  have  sins 
enough  of  your  own ;  brmg  not  the  sin  and  ruin  of  other 
men  upon  you  also. 

5.  How  great  is  the  blindness  and  ignorance  of  sin- 
ners, ivho  need  so  much  entreaty  and  iiiiportunity  to  be 
made  happy  I     It  is  your  ignorance,  simiers,  that  makes  aR 


164  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

the  gospel  importunity  necessary ;  did  you  know  your  omu 
misery,  and  see  Christ  as  to  his  necessity,  suitableness,  and 
excellency,  all  these  persuasions  might  be  spared ;  nay,  you 
yourselves  would  become  importunate  suitors  for  Christ. 
He  would  not  need  to  be  twice  offered :  there  is  a  conscience 
in  every  man,  set  there  on  purpose  by  the  Lord  to  give  each 
an  alarm ;  but  the  alarm  is  not  heard  for  want  of  the  know- 
ledge of  your  sin  and  misery.  Ah,  soul,  didst  thou  but  know 
who  it  is  that  sues  for  thy  love,  and  what  the  benefits  of  union 
with  Christ  are,  thou  wouldst  answer  his  first  call  in  such 
language  as  this  :  Lord  Jesus,  write  down  thine  own  terms ; 
be  they  what  they  will,  I  am  ready  to  subscribe  them  with 
the  full  consent  of  my  heart  and  will.  And  then,  how  soon 
would  the  union  be  made  between  Christ  and  you.  Yea, 
you  would  watch  for  and  hang  on  half  a  word  of  encour- 
agement from  Christ's  mouth,  as  Benhadad's  servant  did 
on  that  word  of  Ahab,  "my  brother  "  Benhadad.  1  Kings, 
20  :  32,  33.  There  is  no  need  of  rhetoric  to  persuade  a  con- 
demned malefactor  to  accept  his  pardon,  or  a  hungry  man 
to  sit  down  at  a  full  table  ;  but,  alas,  sin  is  not  felt,  Christ 
is  not  known ;  and  therefore  the  one  is  not  bewailed,  nor  the 
other  desired. 

This  doctrine  also  naturally  leads  us  to  persuade  simiers 
to  embrace  Christ's  offer,  subscribe  to  his  terms,  and  debate 
no  more  with  him,  but  end  the  treaty  in  a  cordial  present 
consent ;  and  so  close  the  union  between  him  and  their  souls. 
How  long,  sinner,  wilt  thou  halt,  and  thy  will  hang  unde- 
termined between  Christ  and  sin,  and  unresolved  in  so 
great  and  deep  a  concern?  0  that  Christ's  overture  may 
bring  the  matter  to  an  issue.  "Why  will  you  trifle  and  dally 
with  him  at  this  rate?  There  is,  indeed,  a  treaty  on  foot 
between  Christ  and  you ;  but  you  may  perish  for  all  that ; 
there  is  no  conclusion  or  agreement  made;  Christ  and  you 
may  yet  part.     The  Lord  help  you,  therefore,  to  consider 


5^ 


UNION    AND   COMMUNION.  165 

with  all  seriousness  the  terms  propounded  by  Christ  in  the 
gospel ;  to  count  the  cost — not  to  be  always  deliberating,  but 
to  bring  matters  to  an  issue,  and  that  with  all  convenient 
speed  :  in  order  whereunto  I  will  lay  two  things  before  you. 
Ponder  well  what  are  the  advantages  you  Vidll  gain  by 
Christ,  and  what  is  the  most  you  can  lose  by  your  consent 
to  his  terms  ;  and  then  bring  your  thoughts  to  an  issue. 

6.  Ponder  well  the  advantage?,  you  will  gain  by  Christ : 
these  are  so  great  and  manifold,  that  it  is  impossible  for  me 
to  enumerate  or  estimate  them.  It  shall  suffice  in  this 
place  to  show  you  one  of  those  bunches  of  the  grapes  of 
Eshcol,  that  by  it  you  may  estimate  the  riches  and  fertility 
of  the  good  land  settled  upon  you  by  Christ  as  a  dowry ; 
and  these  are  four. 

(1.)  The  same  day  and  hour  you  give  your  cordial  consent 
to  take  Christ  upon  gospel-terms,  that  is  to  say,  Christ  with 
liis  yoke  of  obedience,  and  Christ  with  his  cross  of  sufferings, 
all  your  debts  to  the  laio  are  discharged  and  'paid.  What 
have  you  been  doing  ever  since  you  came  into  the  world, 
but  running  into  debt  to  God,  deeper  and  deeper  every  day  ? 
What  a  vast  sum  owest  thou  to  his  justice  I  and  thou  art  not 
able  to  pay  one  farthing.  If  thou  consent  not  to  Christ's 
offer,  the  bailiff  and  executioner,  death  and  Satan,  will  shortly 
be  upon  thee,  and  hurry  thee  away  to  that  prison  from 
whence  thou  shalt  not  come  until  thou  hast  paid  the  last 
farthing.  Matt.  5  :  25,  26,  If  thou  consent  to  Christ's  terms, 
thy  debts  are  paid  upon  thy  marriage-day,  thy  bonds  are 
cancelled,  and  thy  discharge  in  heaven  is  sealed  :  "  There  is 
therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ," 
Rom.  8:1;  and  the  reason  is  given.  The  righteousness  of 
the  law  is  fulfilled  in  us  that  beheve.  Ver.  4.  But  how  in 
us  ?  Certainly  the  meaning  is  not  that  the  act  of  faith  doth, 
as  a  work  of  ours,  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  law  and  ful- 
fil its  righteousness ;  but  it  apprehends  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  applies  it  and  makes  it  ours,  and  so  "the  righteous- 


166  CHRIST  KNOCKlNa  AT   THE  DOOR. 

ness  of  the  la  w  is  fulfilled  in  us  that  believe."  Is  it  an  ease 
and  a  comfort  to  be  out  of  debt  ?  Then  embrace  the  ofier  of 
Christ ;  for  after  thy  espousals  to  him,  the  law  camiot  touch 
thee  by  an  act  of  condemnation  :  it  goes  to  the  husband, 
Christ ;  thou  art  discharged.  Then  resolve  what  to  do  : 
shall  the  debt  run  on  and  increase  till  justice  come  to  exact 
it  upon  you  in  hell-torments  ?  Or  will  you  accept  of  Christ 
and  the  riches  of  righteousness  in  him,  and  so  be  fully  and 
finally  acquitted  from  all  your  debts  at  once,  and  able  to 
lie  down  in  peace  and  enjoy  your  life  without  fear  ? 

(2.)  Your  consent  to  Christ's  terms,  will  advance  you  to 
an  honor  above  and  heijond  that  of  angels.  It  is  said  that 
the  children  of  the  resurrection  shall  be  equal  to  angels. 
Matt.  22  :  30,  And  it  is  most  sure,  that  in  some  respects 
their  union  with  Christ  advances  them  far  above  angels  ;  for 
the  apostle  tells  us,  they  are  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
minister  to  them  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation,  Heb.  1:14; 
as  the  nobles  in  a  kingdom  count  it  no  dishonor  to  perform 
their  service  to  the  heir  apparent.  The  ministry  of  angels 
is  a  mystery  which  we  little  understand  ;  but  by  it  we  receive 
great  and  manifold  advantages,  and  it  certainly  puts  great 
honor  on  all  the  members  of  Christ. 

(3.)  Christ  will  not  only  pay  all  your  debts  and  exalt 
you  to  a  dignity  above  angels,  but  in  the  day  wherein  you 
cordially  consent  to  his  terms,  he  ivill  entitle  you  to  the  most 
glorious  inheritajice  ])urchased  by  his  blood.  You  shall  be 
"heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ."  Rom.  8  :  17. 
0  what  an  inducement  is  here  to  close  the  union  between 
Christ  and  our  souls.  If  I  consent  to  take  Christ  upon 
gospel-terms,  I  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  glory  in  heaven  ; 
'ir".  it  shall  be  mine  as  truly  as  it  is  Christ's.  It  is  true  the 
1*^  glory  of  Christ  will  far  surpass  the  glory  of  the  saints ;  he 
will  shine  among  them  as  the  sun  compared  with  the  stars ; 
but  the  glory  which  God  gave  him,  that  is,  the  communi- 
cable glory,  shall  be  as  truly  theirs,  as  it  is  his.     "  The  glory 


UNION  AND  COMilUNION.  1G7 

whicli  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them."  John  17  :  22. 
Tell  my  brethren,  saith  he,  John  20  :  17,  "  I  ascend  unto  my 
Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God." 
This  you  shall  gain  by  closing  this  treaty  with  a  hearty  con- 
sent to  Christ's  terms  and  proposals, 

(4.)  If  you  will  consider  and  consent,  you  shall  he  pre- 
sented hy  Christ  to  the  Father,  pure  and  sjootless,  ivith 
exceeding  joy  arid  gladness  in  the  great  day.  This  will  be  \ 
a  presentation  of  your  persons  to  God  that  should  make  your 
hearts  leap  for  joy  as  you  read  what  the  Scriptures  speak 
about  it.  This,  methinks,  should  induce  every  soul  without 
further  delay  to  present  himself,  soul  and  body,  willingly 
and  cheerfully  to  Jesus  Christ.  For,  first,  Christ  will  bring 
you  in  the  great  day  to  his  Father,  in  the  beauty  of  perfect 
■^T  holiness,  not  a  spot  or  wrinlde  upon  your  souls.  Eph.  5  :  27. 
The  blood  of  Christ  perfectly  washes  away  every  spot  of 
guilt.  Then  the  Spirit  of  Christ  shall  have  perfectly  cleans- 
ed the  soul  from  all  the  defilement  of  sin ;  so  that  it  shall 
come  to  God  pure  and  beautiful  out  of  Christ's  hand.  Second, 
This  presentation  will  be  made  with  the  greatest  honor  and 
solemnity.  We  little  think  in  what  triumph  Christ  intends 
to  bring  the  poorest  believer  to  his  Father.  "  With  gladness 
and  rejoicing  shall  they  be  brought :  they  shall  enter  into 
the  king's  palace."  Psalm  45  :  15.  They  shall  be  presented 
"  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory,  with  exceedino- 
joy."  Jude  24.  Joy  running  over  joy,  upon  all  hands : 
God  himself  will  rejoice  that  he  created  a  soul  that  has  sin- 
cerely bestowed  itself  upon  Christ ;  Jesus  Christ  will  rejoice 
that  he  shed  his  blood  for  the  soul  that  places  his  sole  right- 
eousness therein ;  the  Holy  Spirit  will  rejoice  that  he  came 
with  a  commission  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  to  draw 
such  a  soul  to  Christ,  who  has  obeyed  his  voice.  The  angels 
will  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable.  "  There  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  smner  that  repent- 
eth."     Luke  15:10.     If  the  consent  of  any  of  your  souls 

m 


168  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

shall  be  this  day  gained  to  Christ — if  the  word  you  have 
heard  shall  send  any  poor  soul  hence  to  his  closet  there  to 
make  his  covenant  with  Christ,  for  that  is  the  way  of  making 
the  union  with  Christ — in  that  hour  the  news  of  it  will  be  in 
heaven  and  excite  joy  among  the  angels  of  God.  Lay  these 
and  many  other  privileges  together,  which  the  Scriptures 
will  abundantly  furnish  you,  and  then  consider  what  a  rich 
bargain  Jesus  Christ  confers  on  your  souls. 

7.  Again,  on  the  other  hand,  consider  what  you  may 
lose  by  your  consent  to  be  Christ's,  and  whether  these 
losses  are  sufficient  to  balance  the  gain  of  such  a  consent, 
that  so  your  choice  of  Christ  may  be  deliberate  and  full,  and 
you  may  never  repent  of  the  choice  you  have  made.  It  is  a 
rule  in  the  civil  law.  Nan  consentit  qui  non  seMit — he 
cannot  consent  that  does  not  think,  understand,  and  delib- 
erate; and  this  is  the  reason  of  so  much  flinching  from 
Christ  and  shameful  apostasy  in  times  of  persecution :  men 
did  not  think  of  such  sufferings  and  losses,  they  are  matters 
of  surprise  to  them.  To  prevent  all  such  occasions  of  offence, 
our  Lord  deals  candidly  and  openly  with  us,  and  tells  us 
beforehand  what  are  the  worst  things  that  may  befall  us  for 
his  sake.  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  you 
should  not  be  offended.  They  shall  put  you  out  of  the  syn- 
agogues ;  yea,  the  time  cometh,  that  whosoever  killeth  you 
will  think  he  doeth  God  service."  John  16  :  1,  2.  But  he 
adds,  "  These  things  have  I  told  you  that,  when  the  time 
shall  come,  ye  may  remember  that  I  told  you  of  them." 
Ver.  4.  Remember,  in  times  of  persecution,  that  all  these 
things  were  propounded  and  consented  to ;  they  were  the 
very  terms  you  subscribed  to  me ;  had  you  not  liked  them,  you 
might,  at  the  everlasting  ruin  of  your  immortal  souls,  have 
refused  and  rejected  them.  The  things  you  are  to  balance 
with  the  gain  of  Christ  may  be  divided  into  two  classes. 

(1.)  The  things  that  you  must  part  with,  namely,  your 
lusts  and  all  the  vicious  pleasures  you  have  had  in  them. 


UNION   AND  COMMUNION.  1G9 

However  much  profit  or  pleasure  they  have  brought  you, 
away  they  must  go  ;  they  must  he  devoted  to  destruction 
and  mortification,  or  you  can  have  no  interest  in  Christ ;  you 
must  bid  adieu  for  ever  to  all  your  sinful  courses  and  com- 
jDanions.  "  His  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey."  E-om. 
5:16.  Be  they  as  pleasant  and  profitable  as  your  right  eye 
or  hand,  they  must  be  plucked  out  and  cut  ofl^.  Matt. 
G  :  29,  30.  Does  this  sound  harsh  and  unpleasant  to  your 
ears  ?  Does  this  cause  you  to  demur  ?  0  consider  what 
it  is  to  part  with  sin  ;  it  is  but  to  part  with  the  disease  of 
your  souls,  and  the  instruments  of  your  everlasting  ruin. 
Which  of  you  would  not  be  glad  to  part  with  a  fever,  the 
stone,  or  dropsy  ?  What  is  passion,  but  the  fever  of  the 
soul  ?  What  is  a  hard  heart,  but  a  stone  ?  What  is  covet- 
ousness  or  earthly-mindedness,  but  the  insatiable  dropsy  of 
the  soul  ?  Now,  if  men  would  be  glad  to  be  rid  of  such 
dreadful  diseases  in  their  bodies,  and  to  be  restored  to  sound- 
ness, ease,  and  health ;  how  much  more  should  you  be  glad 
to  be  rid  of  your  corruptions,  and  have  the  rectitude,  ease, 
and  pleasure  of  your  souls  restored  again  ?  yea,  instead  of 
the  impure,  vicious  pleasures  you  have  taken  in  sm,  you  shall 
enjoy  the  pure,  suitable,  and  everlasting  pleasures  of  holiness. 
Consider  now,  and  accordingly  make  your  choice,  w^hether 
you  will  take  the  pleasures  of  sin,  which  are  but  for  a  sea- 
son, in  exchange  for  the  everlasting  joys  which  are  at  God's 
right  hand  for  ever. 

(2.)  There  are  other  things  which  you  may  be  called  to 
part  with,  and  give  up  for  Christ.  It  is  uncertain  whether 
God  may  call  you  to  -part  with  your  liberty,  estate,  rela- 
tions, and  life  for  Christ.  Many  are  never  actually  called 
forth  to  such  sufferings  ;  but  because  many  are,  and  every 
one  of  you  may  be  so  called,  you  must  realize  them,  ponder 
them,  and  subscribe  to  those  very  terms,  making  full  account 
of  these  things  as  if  they  were  now  before  you,  for  so  Christ 
hath  propounded   them.     Luke    9  :  23.     But    then    weigh 

Christ    Knocking.  O 


170  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

these  troubles  with  the  advantages  you  shall  have  by  them, 
and  not  alone  by  themselves ;  for  so  Christ  has  presented 
them  to  you.  "  And  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses, 
or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  chil- 
dren, or  lands,  for  my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  a  hundred- 
fold, and  shall  inherit  everlasting  life."     Matt.  19  :  29. 

Now,  if  you  think  such  gainful  troubles,  such  soul-enrich- 
ing losses  are  worth  accepting  for  Christ's  sake,  then  close 
the  union  with  Christ  and  bring  the  matter  to  a  conclu- 
sion. Do  not  befool  yourselves  by  a  fond  and  groundless  pre- 
sumption that  these  things  will  never  befall  you.  I  fear  many 
flatter  themselves  with  such  vain  hopes ;  the  Lord  knows 
how  soon  these  suppositions  at  a  distance  may  be  turned 
into  realities  before  your  eyes.  You  have  much  reason  to 
expect  them,  and  much  more  to  embrace  them,  whenever 
Christ  shall  call  you  to  them.  This  is  the  great  work  you 
have  now  to  do,  and  you  cannot  safely  demur  any  longer ; 
this  matter  must  come  to  a  conclusion,  and  the  sooner  the 
better.     For, 

You  know  that  your  lives  are  uncertain,  and  it  is  mad- 
ness to  let  the  great  concerns  of  your  salvation  lie  one  day  at 
hazard  ;  your  breath  is  continually  coming  and  going,  and 
must  at  last  be  gone.  James  4:14.  Your  souls  hang  over 
everlasting  dangers  by  that  feeble  breath  which  plays  in 
your  nostrils,  and  every  disease  is  like  the  flame  of  a  candle 
held  under  that  thread  ;  and  can  it  either  be  safe  or  com- 
fortable to  delay  so  great  a  work  as  this,  upon  which  all 
your  expectations  of  eternal  blessedness  depend  ? 

Not  only  your  lives  are  uncertain,  but  the  enjoyment  of 
the  gospel,  and  all  the  opportunities  and  means  of  your  con- 
version, are  as  uncertain  as  they.  It  is  true,  and  to  the  glory 
of  God  be  it  acknowledged,  we  now  enjoy  the  freedom  and 
fulness  of  gospel-mercies  ;  but  where  has  God  made  any  such 
settlement  of  these  blessings  upon  you,  as  puts  the  enjoyment 
of  them  out  of  hazard  ?     The  rain  is  over,  but  the  clouds 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  171 

may  return  after  the  rain.  If  your  privileges  bring  forth  good 
fruit  in  your  conversion,  well ;  if  not,  the  axe  lieth  at  the 
root  of  the  tree.  Matt.  3:10.  And  if  God  remove  the 
gospel  from  us,  as  our  delays  and  triflings  may  provoke  him 
to  do,  then  the  treaty  is  ended,  and  there  is  little  probability 
that  any  thing  further  will  be  done  between  Christ  and  you. 
Luke  13  :  25. 

Bring  this  matter  to  an  issue  with  all  due  speed,  because 
you  are  not  able  to  give  mie  sound  reason  fw  a  momenCs 
delay  of  so  great  and  weighty  a  concern.  Can  you  be  safe 
too  soon?  Can  you  be  happy  too  soon?  Certainly  you 
cannot  be  out  of  the  danger  of  hell  too  soon  ;  and  therefore 
why  should  not  your  closing  with  Christ  upon  his  own  terms 
be  your  very  next  work  ?  If  the  main  work  and  business  of 
every  man's  life  be  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  as  indeed 
it  is,  Matt.  3:7,  and  to  flee  for  refuge  to  Jesus  Christ,  as 
indeed  it  is,  Heb.  6:18,  then  all  delays  are  highly  dangerous. 
The  man-slayer,  when  fleeing  to  the  city  of  refuge  before  the 
avenger  of  blood,  when  his  heart  was  hot  within  him,  did 
not  think  he  could  reach  the  city  too  soon.  Set  your  reason 
to  work  upon  this  matter  ;  put  the  case  as  really  it  is  :  I  am 
fleeing  from  wrath  to  come  ;  the  justice  of  God  and  the  curses 
of  the  law  are  closely  pursuing  me  ;  is  it  reasonable  that  I 
should  sit  down  in  the  way  to  gather  flowers,  or  play  with 
trifles  ?  for  such  are  all  other  concerns  in  this  world,  com- 
pared with  our  salvation. 

Bring  this  treaty  to  an  issue  with  all  due  speed,  because 
^nost  soids  that  perish,  perish  by  delays ;  men  think  they 
have  time  enough  before  them  and  that  to-morrow  will  be  as 
to-day,  and  so  Satan  gets,  part  by  part,  what  he  had  not  confi- 
dence to  demand  in  the  whole  lump.  Most  that  perish  under 
the  gospel  had  convictions  upon  their  consciences,  and  vain 
pui-poses  in  their  hearts ;  but  not  bringing  them  to  a  speedy 
execution,  that  was  their  undoing.  "  He  beholdeth  himself, 
and  goeth  his  way,  and  straightway  forgetteth  what  manner 


172  CHRIST   KNOCKINCI   AT  THE   DOOR. 

of  man  he  was."  James  1  :  24.  It  is  an  allusion  to  a  man 
that  looks  in  the  morning  into  a  glass,  where  he  discerns  a 
spot  upon  his  face,  and  resolves  with  himself  soon  to  wash  it 
off;  but  some  diversion  or  other  falls  in,  other  matters  take 
up  his  thoughts,  and  so  the  spot  remains  all  day  and  he 
carries  it  to  bed  at  night.  0  these  delays  in  closing  with 
Christ  are  the  undoing  of  millions. 

Delay  not  to  close  this  treaty  with  Christ,  because  all 
delay  iiicreascs  the  dijjic^dty  ;  and  the  longer  you  neglect, 
the  more  will  your  hearts  "  be  hardened  by  the  deceitfulness 
of  sin."  Heb.  3:13.  Continuance  in  sin  and  quenching 
convictions  insensibly  harden  the  heart  and  make  the  will 
stubborn.  Under  the  first  convictions  the  heart  is  tender, 
the  affections  flov^dng ;  if  this  advantage  were  apprehended 
and  pursued,  how  soon  might  the  work  come  to  a  comfort- 
able conclusion ;  but  after  a  while,  those  soul-affecting  words, 
sin,  Christ,  heaven,  hell,  death,  and  eternity,  will  become 
words  of  a  common  sound. 

And  lastly,  beware  of  delays  in  this  matter,  because  you 
can  never  exj)ect  a  fairer  ojDj^ortunity  for  the  dispatch  of 
this  great  concern  than,  by  the  special  indulgence  of  Heaven, 
you  enjoy  this  day.  "  Now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  2  Cor.  6  :  2.  You  have  the 
WTind  and  tide  with  you  ;  if  you  will  not  weigh  anchor  now, 
you  may  lie  wind-bound  to  your  dying  day.  What  advan- 
tage can  you  reasonably  expect,  which  God  has  not  fur- 
nished you  with  at  this  day  ?  You  have  the  means  of  grace 
among  you,  and  you  have  freedom  to  attend  on  those  means 
without  fear.  Say  not,  I  have  such  or  such  troubles  and 
encumbrances  in  the  world  ;  for  you  must  never  expect  to 
be  without  them,  except  you  shall  find  the  world  another 
thing  than  all  others  find  it.  Have  you  health  ?  0  what 
a  precious  season  and  advantage  is  that.  Art  thou  sick  ? 
0  what  a  spur  is  that.  "What  is  to  be  done  must  be  done 
quickly. 


UNION   AND  COMMUNION.  173 

But  it  may  be  some  will  plead  ignorance,  that  they 
know  not  how  to  transact  so  great  a  concern  with  Christ, 
and  therefore  set  not  about  it ;  and  it  is  likely  there  may 
be  truth  in  that  plea.  For  the  help  of  such  souls,  I  will 
gather  up  the  sum  of  what  has  been  spoken  about  this  mat- 
ter, in  the  following  directions  ;  so  that  nothing  but  your 
unwillingness  shall  remain  to  hinder  you. 

Direction  1.  If  ever  you  bring  the  treaty  between 
Christ  and  your  souls  to  a  happy  conclusion,  you  must  sit 
doivn  and  count  the  cost,  Luke  14  :  28,  else  it  will  be  vain 
to  engage  yourselves  in  the  profession  of  religion.  It  is  not 
Christ's  design  to  draw  you  under  a  rash,  inconsiderate 
engagement,  and  so  to  reap  more  dishonor  by  your  apostasy 
than  ever  he  shall  have  glory  by  your  profession.  He  would 
have  you  foresee  and  seriously  bethink  yourselves  of  all  the 
troubles  and  inconveniences  you  may  afterwards  meet  with 
for  his  sake.  You  are  to  embark  yourselves  with  Christ, 
and  abide  with  him  in  storms  as  well  as  in  sunshine ;  you 
must  "  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth."  Rev. 
14  :  4.  There  is  no  retreating  after  engagement  to  Christ : 
"  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure 
in  him."  Heb.  10  :  38.  It  is  eternal  death  by  the  law 
of  heaven,  to  desert  Christ's  colors  in  the  day  of  battle. 
Well,  then,  retire  into  the  innermost  closet  of  thy  soul ;  sit 
quiet  and  patiently  there,  till  thou  hast  debated  this  mat- 
ter fully  with  thy  own  thoughts,  and  hast  balanced  the 
good  and  the  evil,  the  profits  and  losses  of  religion.  For 
want  of  this  the  church  is  filled  with  hypocrites,  and  hell 
with  inconsiderate  and  rash  professors  :  the  more  we  delib- 
erate, the  better  we  shall  conclude. 

Direction  2.  Having  debated  the  matter  over  and  over 
in  thy  most  serious  thoughts,  let  not  Satan  disccmrage  thee 
from  casting  thy  soul  at  Christ's  feet,  with  a  hearty  consent 
to  all  his  terms,  for  want  of  such  qualifications  as  thou  canst 
not  find  in  thy  own  soul.     It  is  usual  for  Satan  to  suggest, 


174  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

at  such  a  time,  the  want  of  greater  sorrow  and  humihation 
for  sin — that  the  soul  has  not  lain  long  enough  under  the 
humbling  work  of  the  law — that  the  aggravations  of  sin 
have  been  such  that  there  is  no  hope  of  acceptance.  Free 
thy  soul  from  these  snares  of  Satan  by  the  consideration  of 
the  truth,  that  Christ  expects  from  thee  no  more  humilia- 
tion than  what  produces  such  a  hearty,  4eliberate  consent  as 
thy  will  is  now  to  give  ;  and  such  a  consent  once  gained, 
no  aggravation  of  sm  can  be  pleaded  against  the  duty  of 
believing. 

Direction  3.  Distmst  not  the  sincerity  of  Christ  in  the 
gracious  offers  he  makes  to  coming  souls.  Be  sure  that 
he  speaks  his  very  heart  in  them  to  thee  ;  the  devil  labors 
to  sow  jealousy  and  suspicions  in  the  hearts  of  convinced 
simiers,  that  they  will  not  find  such  a  welcome  with  Christ 
as  he  seems  to  promise  them  in  those  encouraging  scriptures, 
Matt.  11  :  28,  29 ;  John  6  :  37  ;  but  that  something  else  lies 
hid  in  such  scriptures,  as  a  mystery  which  they  understand 
not,  and  so  labors  to  hinder  the  accepting  act  of  faith.  This 
is  a  case  as  common  as  it  is  sad.  The  Lord  help  you  to 
avoid  this  snare,  lest  instead  of  honoring  Christ  by  resolved 
adherence  to  him,  you  make  him  a  har,  and  impute  insin- 
cerity to  the  God  of  truth  :  "He  that  believeth  not  God, 
hath  made  him  a  liar."   1  John,-  5  :  10. 

Direction  4.  Look  uj:)  to  God  to  enable  you.  to  come  to 
Christ  in  this  difficult  tvork  of  faith.  Do  not  think  faith 
is  of  the  growth  of  thine  own  heart :  "  No  man  can  come  to 
me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him." 
John  6  :  44.  There  is  a  legal  spirit  working  under  evangel- 
ical pretences  in  many  souls  ;  teaching  them  to  look  within 
themselves  to  find  that  which  is  quite  above  them.  The 
apostle  points  you  to  the  fountain  of  faith,  in  Eph,  2:8: 
it  is  "  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  If  the  power 
of  God  must  be  owned  as  the  cause  of  every  new  degree  of 
liiith  in  the  greatest  believers,  as  is  plain  from  Luke  17  : 5, 


UNION  AND   COMMUNION.  175 

"  The  apostles  said  unto  the  LojjI,  Increase  our  faith  ;"  how 
much  more  is  the  productiou  of  faith  itself,  and  the  first 
vital  act  thereof  to  be  ascribed  to  the  almighty  power  of 
God? 

Direction  5.  Kecpiiig  tliinc  eye  of  ex'pectation  upon 
that  almighty  2^oicer,  plead  icith  the  Lord  importunately  to 
exert  that  power  upon  thy  soul ;  and  give  not  over  thy  suit 
till  thou  feel  that  power  upon  thee.  The  time  of  believing 
is  a  time  of  earnestly  pleading  thine  own  danger  and  neces- 
sity ;  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  abundantly  furnish 
thee  with  pleas  and  arguments  to  enforce  this  suit.  Such 
as  these  : 

(1.)  Lord,  I  have  thy  call  and  invitation,  yea,  I  have 
tby  command  to  encourage  me  to  believe  ;  it  is  no  presump- 
tion therefore,  in  thy  poor  creature,  to  come  after  thou  hast 
invited  and  commanded  me  :  hadst  thou  not  encouraged  me, 
I  dared  not  have  moved  towards  thee.  Lord,  whose  word  is 
it,  *'  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  ?"  1  John,  3  :  23.  Is  it  not  thine  own  ?  This  makes 
my  faith  an  act  of  obedience. 

(2.)  Yea,  Lord,  I  have  thy  promise,  as  well  as  thy  com.- 
mand,  made  upon  no  other  condition  but  my  coming  to  thee. 
Blessed  Jesus,  hast  thou  not  said,  "  Him  that  cometh  unto 
me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out  ?"  John  6  :  37.  An  invitation 
is  much,  but  thy  promise  is  more. 

(3.)  0  my  God,  I  have  not  only  thy  command,  making 
it  my  duty  to  believe,  and  thy  promise  to  encourage  me  to 
that  duty,  but  I  have  the  examples  of  other  sinners  who 
came  unto  thee  long  ago,  and  thou  didst  not  reject  them : 
nor  do  I  abuse  these  examples  in  drawing  encouragement 
from  them ;  for  it  was  thy  very  design,  in  recording  them, 
that  they  might  be  so  many  patterns  to  all  that  should  here- 
after believe  on  thee.   1  Tim.  1:16. 

(4.)  0  my  God,  I  am  shut  up  under  a  plain  necessity  ;  I 
have  no  other  way  to  take ;  I  am  beaten  off  from  all  other 


176  CHRIST   KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

refuges  ;  there  is  no  help  for  me  in  angels  or  in  men,  in  duties 
or  self-righteousness  ;  in  thee  only  my  soul  can  find  rest.  I 
am  shut  up  to  thee  as  to  the  only  door  of  hope,  Gal.  3  :  23  ; 
here  I  must  succeed  or  perish  :  my  soul  is  burdened  and 
wearied;  I  know  not  how  to  dispose  of  it,  but  into  thy 
hands  ;  nor  where  to  lay  the  burden  of  my  guilt,  but  upon 
thee.     If  I  fail  here,  I  am  lost  for  ever. 

(5.)  Lord,  I  am  willing  to  renounce  all  other  hopes, 
refuges,  and  righteousness,  and  to  rely  upon  thee  only. 
Duties  cannot  justify  me,  tears  cannot  wash  me,  reformation 
cannot  save  me ;  nothing  but  thy  righteousness  can  answer 
for  ra.e.  I  come  to  thee  a  poor  naked  creature,  saying  as 
they  of  old,  "  Asshur  shall  not  save  us;  we  will  not  ride 
upon  horses  :  neither  will  Ave  say  any  more  to  the  work  of 
our  hands,  Ye  are  our  gods  ;  for  in  thee  the  fatherless  find- 
eth  mercy."  Hos.  14  :  3.  Thus  plead  with  God,  and  still 
remember  you  are  pleading  for  life,  yea,  for  your  eternal  life. 

Direction  6.  Labor  to  make  a  resolved  adve?iture  hjjoyi 
Christ,  amidst  all  these  encouragements,  let  the  issue  be 
what  it  will;  resolve  to  venture,  though  you  have  not  the 
least  degree  of  assurance  that  you  shall  be  accepted  and  par- 
doned. This  is  that  brave  and  noble  act  of  faith  which 
carries  the  soul  to  Christ:  much  as  Esther  came  to  the  king, 
"  So  will  I  go  in  unto  the  king;  and  if  I  perish,  I  perish." 
Esther  4:16.  It  grieves  me  to  think  how  some  imagine 
that  the  fervent  love  of  Christ  will  save  and  justify  them, 
without  any  act  of  belief  on  their  part;  but  you  see  that 
scriptural  faith  is  very  different  from  all  this.  0  there  are 
great  difficulties  and  mighty  wrestlings  iji  the  work  of 
believing  :  it  is  a  great  matter  for  a  convinced  sinner,  in  the 
face  of  so  much  guilt  and  vileness  and  amidst  such  mani- 
fold discouragements  from  Satan,  to  cast  and  adventure 
himself  upon  Christ,  and  that  upon  such  self-denying  terms  ; 
but  the  pinch  of  necessity  will  bring  the  soul  to  this,  for  now 
it  reasons  with  itself  as  the  lepers  did,  If  we  go  to  the  camp 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  177 

of  the  Syrians,  we  can  but  die ;  and  if  we  abide  here,  we 
must  certainly  die.  2  Kings,  7:4.  So  here,  if  I  sit  still  in 
the  state  of  nature  and  continue  to  delay,  my  destruction  is 
unavoidable — to  hell  I  must  go  :  and  if  I  cast  myself  upon 
Christ,  I  can  but  be  rejected.  But  he  has  said.  He  will  not 
cast  out  those  that  come  unto  him  :  in  this  way  of  faith 
there  is  a  possibility,  yea,  assurance  of  salvation  ;  this  there- 
fore is  my  only  way  ;  to  him  I  will  go,  and  if  I  perish,  I 
perish. 

Direction  7.  Never  measure  the  grace  of  God,  nor  the 
mercy  of  Christ,  by  your  own  narroiv  apprehensions  of 
him;  but  believe  them  to  be  far  greater  than  your  con- 
tracted understanding  represents  them  to  you.  Our  idea  of 
the  pai'doning  power  and  mercy  of  God,  cast  in  the  mould  of 
our  own  thoughts,  disfigures  and  alters  them,  so  that  they 
look  not  like  themselves,  but  with  a  very  discouraging  aspect 
upon  our  souls.  By  this,  Satan  keeps  off  many  souls  from 
coming  to  Christ.  The  Lord  knows  how  to  forgive  thee, 
though  thou  scarcely  knowest  how  to  forgive  thyself,  for  the 
injuries  thou  hast  done  against  him.  That  is  a  striking 
scripture  to  this  purpose,  in  Isa.  55  :  7—9  :  *'Let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ; 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him ;  and  to  our  Grod,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon. 
For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your 
ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.  For  as  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your 
ways,  and  my  thoughts  than  your  thoughts."  Man  lies 
under  a  double  misery,  one  by  reason  of  affliction,  another 
by  reason  of  transgression ;  concerning  both  these,  God's 
thoughts  are  not  as  ours,  but  far  above  what  we  can  think. 
We  caimot  think  such  thoughts  in  respect  to  others,  under 
misery  in  themselves  or  under  transgression  against  us,  as  God 
does  towards  us ;  nor  can  we  conceive  what  those  thoughts 
of  God  are  towards  us,  when  we  are  under  misery  or  sin,  as 


178  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

he  thinks  them.  His  thoughts  will  still  be  above  ours,  as 
the  heavens  are  above  the  earth.  So  high  is  heaven  that 
the  vast  body  of  the  vi^hole  earth  is  but  a  small,  inconsider- 
able point  to  it ;  the  highest  cedars,  mountains,  clouds  can- 
not reach  it.  God's  thoughts  are  infthite,  ours  finite  ;  his 
thoughts  are  continued,  ours  interrupted  and  at  a  stand  ;  his 
are  immutable,  ours  changeable  ;  his  are  intuitive,  ours  dis- 
cursive :  therefore  never  measure  his  by  jout  own.  The 
thoughts  of  pardoning  grace  in  him,  are  rich,  plenteous,  and 
glorious ;  but  when  our  unbelieving  hearts  practise  upon 
them,  they  seem  quite  another  thing.  Thou  sayest,  How 
can  such  a  wretch  as  I  obtain  mercy  ?  Thou  knowest  not, 
but  the  Lord  knoweth.  0  if  you  could  take  in  such  a  proper 
idea  and  apprehension  of  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  God, 
as  he  has  given  of  them  himself,  when  he  passed  by  Moses 
and  proclaimed  himself,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful 
and  gracious,  long  suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth  ;  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and 
transgression  and  sin,"  Exod.  34  :  6,  7,  this  would  bring 
you  to  Christ  with  much  encouragement. 

Direction  8.  Be  7iot  discouraged  in  the  ivork  of  faith, 
though  iw  comfort  should  come  in  by  the  first  act  of  it ;  nay, 
though  there  should  be  an  increase  of  trouble  for  the  pres- 
ent. The  first  saving  act  of  faith  certainly  puts  you  into 
a  state  of  peace,  but  it  may  not  presently  produce  the  sense 
of  peace  ;  after  you  have  believed  and  really  closed  with 
Christ,  you  may  meet  with  some  discouragements  which 
may  make  you  question  whether  Christ  has  received  you  or 
no — whether  he  has  any  love  for  your  souls  or  no  ?  Yet  per- 
severe, whether  comfort  come  or  not ;  though  Christ  and 
safety  are  inseparable,  yet  Christ  and  the  sense  of  comfort  are 
not  so  :  thmk  not  that  all  your  troubles  shall  be  over  as  soon 
as  you  believe,  because  it  is  said,  "  We  which  have  believed 
do  enter  into  rest."  Heb.  4:3.  That  scripture  speaks  of  a 
state  of  rest,  and  not  of  a  present  or  continued  sense  of  rest. 


UNION  AND  COMMUNION.  179 

The  woman  of  Canaan  did  really  believe  in  Christ,  yet  met 
with  sore  trials  under  the  first  act  of  her  faith  ;  yet  this  took 
her  not  off  from  the  work  of  faith,  but  rather  quickened  her 
the  more  ;  she  was  glad  of  a  word  from  Christ,  and  she 
expected  deeds.  The  words  were  discouraging  :  "It  is  not 
meet  to  take  the  children's  bread,  and  to  cast  it  to  dogs ;" 
yet  this  beats  not  off  her  faith  :  the  dog  belongs  to  the  fam- 
ily, and  crumbs  to  the  dog.  "  0  woman,"  saith  Christ, 
"  great  is  thy  faith."  Matt.  15  :  26,  27.  If  you  resolve  for 
Christ,  you  must  not  be  discouraged ;  a  resolute  faith  over- 
comes all  difficulties.  You  pray,  you  believe,  and  yet  have 
no  comfort ;  well,  the  vision  of  peace  is  for  an  appointed 
time  ;  at  the  end  it  Avill  speak,  and  not  lie. 

Direction  9,  In  your  treating  with  Christ,  beware  of 
all  secret  reserves  that  icill  spoil  the  treaty  between  Christ 
and  you.  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will 
not  hear  me."  Psa.  66  :  18.  If  there  be  but  a  reserve  of 
one  lust,  that  reserve  will  break  off  the  treaty  :  be  honest 
with  Christ,  and  say  not  of  any  sin,  "  the  Lord  be  merciful 
to  me  in  this  ;"  and  be  sure  there  is  no  secret  purpose  or 
reserve  in  thy  heart  for  a  retreat  in  time  of  danger  ;  but 
embark  thyself  with  Christ  for  storms  and  tempests,  troubles 
and  afflictions,  as  well  as  peace  and  prosperity.  Christ 
bestows  himself  wholly  upon  you,  and  he  expects  the  same 
from  you  :  give  up  all,  or  you  will  receive  nothing  from  him. 

Direction  10.  Close  up  your  treaty  ivith  Christ  by  a 
solemn  covenant  with  him;  engage  yourselves  to  be  the 
Lord's.  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's  ;  and  another 
shall  caU  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob  ;  and  another  shall 
subscribe  with  liis  hand  mito  the  Lord,  and  surname  him- 
self by  the  name  of  Israel."  Isa.  44  :  5.  Here  you  have 
two  things  to  do:  1.  To  give  yourselves  up  to  Christ, 
according  to  that  expression,  they  "first  gave  their  own 
selves  to  the  Lord."  2  Cor.  8:5.  Make  your  soul  and 
body,  time  and  talents,  henceforth,  dedicated  things  to  his 


180  CHRIST   KNOCKINCt  AT   THE   DOOR. 

service,  2.  Take  Christ  in  both  his  natures  and  in  all  his 
offices  to  be  yours ;  and  to  this  covenant  you  are  to  stand 
to  the  last  breath,  whatever  times  or  troubles  shall  come. 
This  consent  of  thy  heart  to  be  Christ's,  this  choice  of  thy 
M'ill  in  taking  him  for  thine,  is  but  the  echo  of  Christ's 
choice  of  thee ;  and  I  would  rather  have  such  an  evidence 
of  my  interest  in  him,  than  a  voice  from  heaven  to  assure 
me  that  Christ  is  mine. 


NONE  REJECTED.  181 

CHAPTER  YII. 

CHRIST  REJECTS  NONE   WHO   OPEN   TO  HIM. 

"  IF  ANY  MAN  HEAR   RIY  VOICE   AND   OPEN  THE    DOOR,  I  WILL 
COME  IN  TO  HIM."    Rev.  3 :  20. 

This  expression,  "  If  any  man,"  extends  the  gracious  offer 
of  Christ,  and  brings  in  hope  to  every  hearer.  It  is  a  gen- 
eral proclamation  :  "If  any  man  ;"  as  if  Christ  should  say, 
I  will  have  this  offer  of  my  grace  go  round  to  every  partic- 
ular person ;  if  thou,  or  thou,  or  thou,  the  greatest,  the  vilest 
of  sinners,  of  what  quality  or  condition  soever,  old  or  young, 
profane  or  hypocritical,  wilt  hear  my  voice,  and  open  to  me, 
I  will  come  in  to  your  soul.  And  hereby  all  objections  are 
obviated. :  as  for  example,  I  am  the  greatest  of  sinners, 
says  one ;  I  have  been  a  self-deceiving  hypocrite,  says 
another ;  I  have  resisted  grace  too  long,  and  fear  the  time 
of  mercy  is  past,  says  a  third.  The  ground  of  all  these,  and 
a  thousand  more  objections,  is  taken  away  by  the  gracious 
extent  of  Christ's  offer  in  the  text ;  for  who  is  he  that  can 
limit  where  Christ  does  not  ?  This  gives  us  a  seventh  prof- 
itable and  comfortable  doctrine  : 

Jesus  Christ  will  7iot  refuse  to  coine  in  to  the  soul  of 
the  vilest  sinner,  icheii  once  it  is  made  luilling  to  open 
to  him. 

"  If  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him."  It  is  not  unworthiness,  but  unwillingness, 
that  bars  any  man  from  Christ :  thousands  have  missed  of 
Christ  by  their  unwillingness,  but  Christ  never  put  off  one 
soul  on  account  of  its  unworthiness;  Christ  is  not  the  sale 
but  the  gift  of  God  ;  you  come  not  to  make  a  bargain,  but  to 
receive  a  free  gift :  faith  is  marriage  with  Christ,  wherein 
nothing  but  our  hearty  consent  is  expected  ;  so  runs  the 
strain  of  the  whole  Scriptures.  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,   come   ye    to  the   waters,   and   he   that  hath  no 


182  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

money,"  that  is,  no  merit,  no  worthiness  of  his  own,  "  come 
ye."  Isa.  55:1.  Behold  the  free-grace  of  Christ  to  the 
vilest  and  most  miworthy  of  sinners.  So  Rev.  22  :  17, 
*'  Let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  water  of  life  freely."  And  in  the  very  phrase  of 
my  text  he  speaks  again.  And  yet  again,  in  John  7  :  37, 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  It  is 
very  observable  throughout  the  whole  gospel,  that  Christ 
never  made  any  objection  against  any  soul  that  came  to 
him,  on  account  of  its  sinfulness  and  unworthiness  ;  but  all 
the  complaints  of  Christ  are  on  account  of  men's  unwilling- 
ness. So  in  his  complaint  over  Jerusalem,  Luke  13  :  34, 
"  I  would,  but  you  would  not ;"  so  again,  John  5 :  40, 
"  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  Hfe."  The 
complaint  is  still  upon  their  unwillingness.  In  stating  this 
point,  I  shall  show  what  it  is  to  be  truly  willing  to  receive 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  how  it  appears  that  they  who  are  so,  shall 
certainly  be  received  and  graciously  accepted  of  him. 

I.  What  it  is  to  be  truly  ^VILLING  to  receive  Jesus 
Christ  ;  for  this  is  meant  by  opening  the  heart  to  him. 
Now  this  implies  many  great  and  weighty  things. 

1.  It  implies  and  necessarily  includes  the  right  under- 
standing of  gospel  terms.  These  must  be  known,  pondered, 
and  duly  considered,  before  the  will  can  savingly  open,  in 
an  act  of  consent,  to  Christ's  offer.  I  desire  this  may  be 
especially  observed,  because  multitudes  are  mistaken  about 
this  thing  :  he  that  does  not  consider,  does  not  consent ;  you 
must  exercise  your  understandings  upon  the  terms  and 
articles  of  Christianity,  or  else  your  consent  is  rash,  blind- 
fold, and  unstable.  This,  in  Luke  1 4  :  3 1 ,  is  called  consulting ; 
the  consent  of  faith  is  the  result  of  previous  consultations 
and  debates  in  the  mind  :  the  soul  that  comes  to  Christ  must 
take  up  religion  in  his  most  sedate  and  serious  thoughts; 
turn  both  sides  of  it,  the  dark  as  well  as  the  bright  side  of 
religion,  to  the  eye  of  his  mind ;   balance  all  the  conven- 


NONE  REJECTED.  183 

iences  and  inconveniences,  losses  as  well  as  gains.  If  I 
open  to  Christ,  this  I  shall  gain,  but  that  I  must  lose  ;  I 
cannot  separate  Christ  from  sufferings  :  Christ  will  separate 
me  from  my  sins ;  if  I  seek  him,  I  must  let  them  go ;  if  I 
profess  Christ,  Providence  will  one  time  or  other  bring  me  to 
this  dilemma,  either  Christ  or  earthly  comforts  must  go.  It 
is  necessary,  therefore,  that  I  now  propound  to  myself  what 
Providence  may,  one  time  or  other,  propound  to  me.  He  hath 
set  down  his  terms  :  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me." 
Matt.  16  :  24.  This  self-denial  deserves  serious  considera- 
tion ;  for  Christ  requires  that  I  give  up  my  life,  my  liberty, 
my  estate,  my  relations,  and  also  my  own  righteousness, 
which  is  as  hard  to  be  parted  with  as  any  of  the  former. 
I  must  take  up  my  cross,  that  is,  the  sufferings  and  troubles 
which  God  shall  appoint  for  me,  and  which  I  cannot  avoid 
without  sin  ;  and  I  must  follow  Christ  whithersoever  he 
goes.  I  know  not  what  religion  may  cost  me  before  I  die ; 
all  this  it  has  cost  others  ;  and  there  is  no  bringing  down 
Christ's  terms  lower  than  he  has  laid  them.  I  must  come 
up  to  them,  they  will  not  come  down  to  me  :  if  I  like  them 
not  as  Christ  has  left  them,  the  treaty  between  him  and  me 
is  ended.  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me, 
is  not  worthy  of  me  ;  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter 
more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  taketh 
not  his  cross  and  folio weth  after  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me." 
Matt.  10  :  37,  38.  Where,  by  worthiness,  we  are  not  to 
understand  the  meritoriousness  of  these  acts,  but  the  neces- 
sary qvialification  of  the  will,  and  the  due  preparation  of  one 
coming  to  Christ ;  these  previous  consultations  and  debates 
in  the  mind  prepare  the  will  to  make  a  serious  and  well- 
advised  choice  of  Christ :  and  for  want  of  this,  there  are 
such  swarms  of  hypocrites  and  apostates  in  the  world. 

2.  It  implies  such  a  sefise  of  misery  in  us,  and  of  the 
necessity  and  excellency  of  Christ,  as  determines  the  tvill  to 


184  CHUIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

the  cJwice  of  Jam,  notwithstanding  all  the  difficulties  which 
have  fallen  or  can  fall  under  consideration  in  the  mind, 
"When  the  soul  sees  that  in  Christ  which  preponderates  over 
all  sufferings,  all  losses,  and  all  reproaches,  and  then  deter- 
mines, I  will  have  Christ  though  I  sacrifice  all  that  is  dear 
to  me  in  the  world  for  liim,  this  is  to  be  truly  willing  to  open 
to  Christ.  It  is  true,  the  enjoyments  of  tliis  world  are  un- 
derstood by  Christians  as  much  as  other  men ;  they  have  a 
feeling  sense  of  the  sweetness  of  earthly  enjoyments ;  their 
souls  have  as  much  affection  to  the  body  as  other  men  ;  they 
understand  the  charmmg  language  of  the  world  and  their 
dear  relations  in  it,  as  well  as  others  ;  only  they  see  a  greater 
necessity  of  Christ,  and  a  greater  worth  in  Christ,  than  they 
do  in  these  things.  You  read  that  m  the  famine  of  Jerusa- 
lem they  gave  their  pleasant  things  for  meat  to  relieve  their 
soul — jewels,  bracelets,  gold,  silver,  any  thing  for  bread, 
Lam.  1:11;  they  miderstood  the  worth  of  these  things, 
knew  the  cost  of  them,  but  they  parted  with  them  to  pre- 
serve life.  So  it  is  here — no  earthly  enjoyment,  of  what  value 
soever  it  be,  has  such  an  excellency  in  it,  such  an  absolute 
necessity  to  us  of  enjoying  it,  as  Christ  has. 

Objection.  But  0,  saith  the  soul,  who  can  do  this  ?  I 
am  willing  to  have  Christ,  and  to  come  up  to  every  term  he 
has  laid  down  in  the  gospel ;  I  am  willing  to  part  with  every 
sin,  and  to  endure  any  suffering  for  Christ ;  but  Oh,  I  trem- 
ble to  think,  if  it  should  come  to  a  prison,  to  a  stake,  to  an 
actual  separation  from  all  the  comforts  and  relations  in  the 
M^orld,  what  shall  I  do  for  strength  to  go  through  such  diffi- 
cult work  as  this  ?  Here  is  the  great  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  many  souls ;  they  find  a  willingness,  but  fear  the  want  of 
strength. 

Answer.  How  or  where  you  shall  find  strength  to  en- 
dure these  things  for  Christ,  is  not  the  question  now  before 
you.  God  will  take  care  for  that,  and  it  shall  be  given  you 
in  that  hour,  and  so  others  have  found  who  have  had  the 


NONE   REJECTED.  185 

same  fears  you  have.  I  say,  the  question  is  not  whether  you 
are  able,  but  whether  you  are  heartily  willing.  Christ  asks 
but  your  will ;  he  will  provide  ability.  The  greatest  believer 
in  the  world  cannot  say,  I  am  able  to  suffer  this  or  that  for 
Christ ;  but  the  least  believer  in  the  world  must  say,  I  am 
willing,  the  Lord  assisting  me,  to  endure  and  suffer  all  things 
for  his  sake. 

3.  The  third  thing  which  perfects  the  whole  act,  is  an 
entire  choice  of  Jesus  Christ  iqjon  all  the  terms  iDrescrihed 
by  hitn ;  the  entireness  of  the  choice,  without  halving  or 
dividing,  excepting  or  reserving,  makes  the  consent  full 
and  effectual.  There  is  a  twofold  consent  of  the  will  to 
Christ. 

There  is  a  'partial  consent,  which  is  always  hypocritical, 
defective,  and  ineffectual ;  thus  the  hypocrite  consents  to  the 
offer  of  Christ.  He  is  really  willing  to  have  the  pardon  of 
Christ,  and  the  glory  purchased  by  Christ ;  but  to  part  with 
his  beloved  lusts,  and  to  give  up  his  earthly  enjoyments,  his 
will  cannot  consent- 

There  is  a  full  and  entire  consent  of  the  will,  called,  a 
believing  with  all  the  heart.  Acts  8  :  37.  Now  this  integ- 
rity and  fulness  of  the  will's  choice,  is  that  which  closetli 
the  union  between  Christ  and  the  soul,  and  frees  a  man  from 
the  danger  of  hypocrisy.  And  there  are  three  things  which 
make  the  consent  to  and  choice  of  Christ  complete. 

(1.)  We  heartily  consent  to  he  Christ's,  ivhen  ive  give 
up  all  lue  are  and  have  to  him  ;  so  that  after  this  choice  of 
Christ,  we  look  upon  ourselves  thenceforth  as  not  our  own, 
but  bought  with  a  price,  to  glorify  God  ui  our  body  and  soul, 
which  are  his.  1  Cor.  6  :  19,  20.  Soul  and  body  are  all 
that  we  are,  and  both  these  parts  of  ourselves  do  now  pass, 
by  an  act  of  our  ov^oi  consent,  into  the  Redeemer's  right ;  we 
are  not  to  have  the  disposal  of  them  ;  that  belongs  to  him 
who  purchased  them.  You  know  that  in  all  purchases, 
property  is  altered.     You  did  hve  as  your  own,  followed  your 


186  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

own  wills  and  passions,  \vere  under  the  dominion  and  at  the 
beck  of  every  lust ;  but  now  the  case  is  altered.  "  We  our- 
selves also  were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived, 
serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures."  Tit.  3:3.  So  many- 
lusts,  so  many  lords.  But  now  we  have  given  ourselves  to 
Christ,  no  more  to  be  swayed,  this  way  or  that,  against  his 
word  and  the  voice  of  our  ow^n  consciences.  Thus  our  souls 
and  bodies  are  his,  hallo\ved,  dedicated  to  Christ,  temples  for 
God  to  dw^ell  in.  And  then  all  other  things  follow  of  course  : 
if  I  am  the  Lord's,  then  my  time,  my  talents,  and  all  that  I 
have  are  his. 

(2.)  As  you  must  give  up  all  to  Christ,  so  you  must 
derive  a7id  draiv  all  you  ivant  from  him;  else  your  choice 
of  Christ  is  not  entire  and  full.  God  hath  stored  up  in 
Christ  all  that  you  want,  a  full  supply  for  every  need ;  and 
made  it  all  com.municable  to  you  :  "Who  of  God  is  made 
unto  us  wisdom  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification  and 
redemption."  1  Cor.  1  :  30.  All  the  believer's  springs  are 
in  Christ.  Have  I  any  difficult  business  to  do  that  requires 
counsel  ?  then  I  must  repair  to  Christ  the  fountain  of  wisdom. 
Am  I  under  guilt  ?  then  I  must  repair  to  Christ  for  right- 
eousness. Is  my  soul  defiled  by  corruption  ?  then  must  I  go 
to  Christ  for  sanctification.  Do  I  groan  under  troubles  of 
soul  or  body,  temptations,  or  afflictions  ?  then  must  I  reheve 
myself  by  the  faith  and  hope  of  that  complete  redemption 
and  final  deliverance,  procured  by  Christ  from  all  these.  If 
you  consent  to  be  Christ's,  you  must  not  look  for  justifica- 
tion partly  upon  his  righteousness  and  partly  upon  your  own 
graces  and  duties,  but  must  make  mention  of  his  righteous- 
ness, even  of  his  only.  Psalm  71:16.  If  there  is  but  one 
conduit  in  a  town,  and  not  a  drop  of  water  to  be  had  else- 
where, then  all  the  inhabitants  of  that  town  repair  thither 
for  water.  In  the  whole  city  of  God  there  is  but  one  foun- 
tain, and  that  is  Christ ;  there  is  not  one  drop  of  righteous- 
ness, holiness,  strength,  or  comfort,  to  be  had  elsewhere. 


NONE    REJECTED.  187 

Then  we  draw  all  from  Christ,  when  we  live  upon  him,  as 
the  new-born  infant  doth  upon  the  mother's  breast. 

(3.)  Then  is  our  consent  to  and  choice  of  Christ  entire 
and  full,  ivhen  ive  are  ready  to  deny  ourselves  and  'part 
ivith  any  thing  ive  luive  for  his  sake  ;  reckoning  nothing 
lost  to  us  which  goes  to  the  glory  of  Christ.  How  dear  so- 
ever our  liberties,  estates,  or  lives  are  to  us,  if  the  Lord  have 
need  of  them,  we  must  let  them  go.  Thus  you  read,  "  They 
loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death."  E,ev.  12  :  11.  These 
three  things  show  saving  faith  to  be  another  manner  of  thing 
than  the  world  generally  understands  it  to  be  ;  and  it  is  im- 
possible for  any  man's  will  to  open  to  and  receive  Christ, 
upon  terms  of  such  deep  self-denial  as  these,  until  there  be  a 
conviction  of  our  sin  and  misery,  and  discovery  of  Christ  in 
his  glory  and  necessity  ;  and  the  drawing  power  of  the  Spirit 
upon  the  soul. 

Conviction  of  our  sin  and  misery  makes  these  terms  of 
religion  acceptable  ;  sinners  stand  debating  with  Christ,  ex- 
cepting and  objecting  against  his  terms,  until  the  Lord  has 
shaken  them  by  conviction  over  hell,  and  made  them  see  the 
dreadful  danger  they  are  in ;  and  then  their  cry  is,  "  Men 
and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do?"  Acts  2:37;  prescribe 
any  means,  impose  upon  us  the  greatest  difficulties  ;  we  are 
willing  to  comply  with  them. 

Nor  will  souls  ever  comply  with  these  terms  of  the  gos- 
pel, until  a  discovery  has  been  inade  to  them  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  his  glory  and  necessity.  When  a  man  feels  his  wants, 
and  sees  a  complete  remedy,  his  will  then  complies  readily 
and  freely  ;  the  convinced  sinner  sees  a  full  and  suitable  sup- 
ply in  Christ  for  all  his  wants,  a  complete  Saviour,  in  whom 
there  is  notliing  defective,  but  in  all  respects  according  to  the 
wants  of  a  sinner's  heart.     1  Cor.  1  :  24. 

To  all  this  must  be  added  the  'powerful  drawings  of  the 
Spirit,  by  which  the  will  comes  to  Christ.  "  No  man  can 
come  unto  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw 


188  CHRIST   KNOCKINa   AT   THE   DOOR. 

him."  John  G:  44.  When  these  things  are  felt  on  the  soul, 
it  hears  Christ's  voice,  his  powerful  call,  which  breaks  asun- 
der all  the  bonds  between  a  man  and  his  earthly  enjoyments ; 
and  without  these  things  the  will  is  not  to  be  persuaded  to 
comply  with  the  difficulties  of  religion. 

II.  We  are  to  show  how  it  appeap>,s  that  Jesus  Christ 
will  not  refuse  to  come  into  the  soul  of  any  sinner,  be  his  sins 
ever  so  great,  when  once  he  is  made  willing  thus  to  receive 
Christ  upon  his  own  terms.  Oh,  sinner,  what  good  tidings 
are  these  to  thy  soul,  that  Christ  will  not  disdain  to  be  in 
union  and  communion  with  thee,  vile  as  thou  art,  if  thy  will 
stand  open  to  him.  The  tidings  are  sweet,  and  I  hope  thou 
wilt  find  them  as  sure  as  they  are  sAveet  and  comfortable, 
when  thou  shalt  have  seriously  pondered  the  following  evi- 
dences. 

Evidence  1.  The  truth  of  this  assertion  is  seen  in  the 
form  and  manner  of  gospel-invitations.  They  are  design- 
edly put  into  large,  free,  and  most  extensive  terms,  to  assure 
sinners  that  Christ  will  not  reject  the  worst  sinner  in  the 
world,  thus  made  willing  to  embrace  him  ;  they  are  framed 
on  purpose  to  anticipate  or  take  away  all  objections  from 
sinners.  No  other  condition  is  put  in  the  gospel  but  this 
only.  Art  thou  heartily  willing  to  take  Christ  upon  his  own 
terms  ?  The  offers  of  Christ  are  extended  to  all  that  desire 
and  thirst  after  him,  John  7  :  37,  to  the  greatest  of  sinners, 
upon  this  one  condition,  that  they  be  willing  and  obedient, 
Isa.  1:19.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved."  Mark  16  :  15,  16.  The  invitation  is  ex- 
tended to  all  nations  ;  for  in  Christ  Jesus  "  there  is  neither 
Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision,  Barbarian, 
Scythian,  bond  nor  free."  Col.  3:11.  If  there  is  any  soul 
of  any  condition  whatever,  under  the  cope  of  heaven,  whose 
will  is  wrought  to  a  hearty  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the 
gospel,  Christ  will  not  be  unwilling  to  come  into  that  soul, 


NONE   REJECTED.  189 

though  it  has  been  never  so  vile  and  abominable  ;  the  heart 
of  Mary  Magdalene,  which  had  been  a  habitation  of  devils, 
and  the  soul  of  a  Saul,  a  bloody,  raging  persecutor,  v^^ill  make 
as  delightful  habitations  for  Christ  as  the  soul  of  the  most 
exemplary  person  in  the  world,  when  once  the  will  is  thus 
opened. 

Evidence  2.  The  truth  of  this  assertion  further  appears 
from  the  encouraging  promises  made  by  Christ  to  all  ivho 
are  thus  made  ivilling  to  come  unto  him.  All  the  promises 
with  one  mouth  assure  the  willing  sinner  of  a  welcome  to 
Christ.  Mark  that  glorious  promise,  from  which  so  many 
thousand  souls  have  drawn  encouragement  and  help  at  their 
first  coming  to  Christ  :  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall 
come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.  For  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine 
own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  John  6  :  37, 
38.     Note  here, 

(1.)  That  this  is  not  a  promise  made. to  those  that  are 
already  in  Christ,  that  they  shall  never  be  cast  out  by  apos- 
tasy or  final  desertion  ;  but  a  promise  made  to  coming  souls, 
to  such  as  are  moving  towards  Christ,  under  great  discour- 
agements, fears,  and  tremblings.  When  a  sinner  looks  to 
Christ,  and  sees  his  fulness  and  suitableness,  and  his  own 
pinching  need  and  want  of  him,  0,  says  he,  that  I  had  an 
interest  in  him,  though  I  should  beg  my  bread  in  desolate 
places.  But  looking  into  his  own  heart,  and  seeing  so  much 
guilt  and  unworthiness  there,  then  saith  he,  how  can  I  think 
that  Jesus  Christ  will  come  into  such  a  heart  as  this  ?  These 
are  the  persons  upon  whom  this  promise  casts  an  encouraging 
aspect. 

(2.)  And  because  the  fears  of  such  persons  are  much 
more  than  the  fears  that  others  have,  Christ  has  put  a  double 
negative  into  this  promise,  for  the  soul's  encouragement ;  I 
will  not,  in  any  case  or  at  any  hand,  cast  out  such  a  soul 
as  this. 


190  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt  AT  THE    DOOR. 

(3.)  And  to  put  all  beyond  doubt,  he  not  only  assures  the 
soul  that  he  will  not,  but  condescends  to  give  it  the  reason 
why  he  will  not  cast  it  out :  "  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not 
to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me." 
John  G  :  38.  As  if  he  had  said,  This  was  the  very  errand 
upon  which  I  tame  down  from  heaven ;  it  was  my  great 
business  to  receive  all  that  w^ere  made  willing  to  come  to 
me  ;  for  this  I  had  my  Father's  commission  :  "  The  Lord 
hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek  ; 
he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the 
prison  to  them  that  are  bound  ;  to  proclaim  the  accept- 
able year  of  the  Lord,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our 
God;  to  comfort  all  that  mourn."  Isa.  61  :  1,  2.  I  can- 
not be  faithful  to  the  trust  committed  to  me  by  my  Father, 
should  I  shut  the  door  upon  such  souls.  How  can  Christ 
comfort  the  soul  that  mourns,  but  by  opening  his  arms  of 
mercy  to  receive  it  ?  If  he  should  say  to  the  convinced  sin- 
ner. Hold  thy  peace,  I  will  give  thee  riches,  honors,  and 
pleasures  in  the  world ;  but  as  for  me,  thou  canst  not  have 
union  with  me  ;  this  would  n^ver  comfort  the  heart  of  a 
convinced  sinner :  it  is  Christ,  and  none  but  Christ,  can 
quiet  it.  Like  unto  this,  is  that  testimony  and  promise  made 
on  purpose  for  the  encouragement  of  willing  souls  :  "To 
him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his  name 
whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins." 
Acts  10  :  43.  This  you  see  is  a  truth  confirmed  by  the  tes- 
timony of  all  the  prophets,  Avho  foretold  what  his  gracious 
readiness  to  receive  poor  broken-hearted  simiers  should  be ; 
and  they  neither  did,  nor  could  conspire  to  deceive  the  world. 
These  gracious  assurances  and  promises  cut  off  all  pleas 
against  faith,  from  the  greatness  of  sin  ;  and  why  should  we 
except  where  God  has  not  excepted  ?  Had  Christ  said.  All 
sinners  of  such  a  degree  may  come  unto  me,  but  let  all  others 
stand  back,  the  case  had  been  otherwise ;  but  this  promise 


NONE   REJECTED.  19J 

assures  us,  tliat  all  the  sincerely  •willing,  shall  be  truly  wel- 
come to  Jesus  Christ.  Moreover^ these  universal  promises 
take  away  all  fear  of  presumption  in  coming  to  Christ. 
This  is  the  case  of  many  a  soul.  I  am  afraid  I  am  running 
from  despair  into  presumption ;  I  fear  I  am  an  unbidden, 
and  therefore  shall  be  an  unwelcome  guest  to  Christ.  All 
this  is  prevented  by  these  sweet  universal  terms  inserted  on 
purpose  in  these  promises  for  our  encouragement. 

Evidence  3.  The  willingness  of  Christ  to  receive  the 
willing  soul,  however  great  its  sins  and  unworthiness,  ap- 
pears from  the  actual  grants  of  ijardon  and  onercy,  eveyi  to 
the  vilest  sinners,  on  earth,  ivhen  they  thus  come  to  him. 
Here  you  see  how  the  waters  of  free-grace  rise  higher  and 
higher.  An  invitation  is  much ;  a  promise  of  welcome  is 
more  ;  but  the  actual  grant  of  mercy  is  most  satisfying  of 
all.  Come  on,  trembling  soul,  be  not  discouraged,  stretch 
out  the  weak  arms  of  thy  faith  to  that  great  and  gracious 
Redeemer  ;  open  thy  heart  wide  to  receive  him  :  he  will  not 
refuse  to  come  in.  He  hath  sealed  thousands  of  pardons  to 
as  vile  wretches  as  thyself;  he  never  yet  shut  the  door  of 
njercy  upon  a  willing,  hungering  soul.  It  is  a  great  matter 
ta  have  the  way  beaten  before  thee  in  thy  way  to  Christ. 
If  thou  wert  the  first  simier  that  had  cast  his  soul  upon  him, 
I  confess  I  should  want  the  encouragement  I  am  now  giving 
thee  ;  but  when  so  many  have  gone  before  thee,  and  all 
found  a  welcome  beyond  their  expectation,  what  encourage- 
ment is  breathed  into  thy  trembling,  discouraged  heart  to 
go  on  and  venture  thyself  upon  Christ  as  they  did.  What 
an  example  have  we  in  Manasseh,  2  Chron.  33  :  3—12 — an 
idolater,  one  that  used  enchantments,  divinations,  and  famil- 
iar spirits,  and  shed  innocent  blood  in  the  streets  of  Jerusa- 
lem. A  man  might  rake  the  world,  and  hardly  bring  to 
sight  a  viler  wretch,  a  greater  monster  in  wickedness ;  yet 
his  heart  being  broken  and  his  will  bowed,  this  man  found 
mercy.     How  great -a  sinner  was  Mary,  that  came  to  Christ 


192  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

ill  the  house  of  Simon  the  Pharisee,  Luke  7  :  37-50  ;  so 
notorious  a  sinner,  that  Simon  took  offence  at  Christ  for  suf- 
fering her  to  come  into  his  presence.  If  this  man  were  a 
prophet,  said  he,  he  would  have  known  who  and  what 
manner  of  woman  this  is  who  touched  him,  for  she  is  a  sin- 
ner. Yet  Mary's  heart  being  broken  for  sin,  and  made 
wilhng  to  accept  of  a  Saviour,  received  a  gracious  demon- 
stration of  welcome  from  Christ,  and  all  other  sinners  are 
encouraged  by  her  example.  Once  more,  you  have  an  emi- 
nent example  in  the  abundant  welcome  of  another  sinner  to 
Christ,  who  owned  himself  the  greatest  of  sinners ;  a  perse- 
cutor, a  blasphemer,  injurious ;  but,  saith  he,  "  I  obtained 
mercy."  1  Tim.  1  :  16.  And  the  example  of  his  gracious 
reception  with  Christ  is  recorded  as  an  encouragement  to 
all  that  should  hereafter  believe.  How  many  thousands  are 
now  in  hell  that  never  were  guilty  of  greater  enormities  than 
the  Corintliians.  Fornicators,  idolaters,  adulterers,  thieves, 
covetous,  drunkards,  revilers,  extortioners,  such  were  some 
of  them  ;  yet  they  were  sanctified,  washed,  justified,  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God. 
1  Cor.  G  :  9—11.  If  ever  Christ  would  have  shut  the  door 
of  mercy  upon  any — if  ever  he  would  have  been  reluctant 
to  come  into  any  souls,  certainly  these  were  the  souls  he 
would  have  disdained  to  come  near.  0  what  a  demonstra- 
tion is  here  of  that  comfortable  point  before  us  :  that  Christ 
will  not  refuse  to  come  into  the  soul  of  the  vilest  simier, 
when  once  it  is  made  heartily  willing  to  open  to  him. 

Evidence  4.  A  further  evidence  of  this  comfortable  truth 
shall  be  taken  from  the  scriptural  emblems  of  the  ahundant 
grace  of  God,  and  riches  of  mercy  in  Clirist,  towards  cdl 
broken-hearted  and  icilling  sinners.  There  are  some 
chosen  emblems  which  bring  down  the  grace  of  God  before 
the  eyes  of  men  ;  among  which  I  will  single  out  three 
glorious  resemblances  of  free-grace,  chosen  by  his  wisdom 
on  purpose  for  the  encouragement  of  drooping  sinners. 


NONE   REJECTED.  193 

(1.)  A  resemblance  from  the  heavens  that  cover  and 
compass  this  earth.  What  an  inconsiderable  spot  is  the 
whole  terrestrial  globe,  to  those  high  and  all-surrounding 
heavens  I  And  yet  these  heavens  are  not  at  so  vast  a  dis- 
tance above  the  earth,  as  the  pardoning .  grace  of  God  is 
above  the  guilt,  yea,  and  the  very  thoughts  of  poor  sinners. 
For,  of  the  pardoning  grace  of  God  to  penitent  and  willing 
souls,  that  precious  scripture  speaks,  "  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ;  and 
let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon 
him ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 
Isa.  55  :  7.  0,  saith  the  soul,  I  caimot  think  God  will  ever 
have  mercy  on  such  a  wretch  as  L  Why?  saith  he  ;  my 
thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  and  it  is  well  they  are  not ; 
for  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are  my 
thoughts  higher  than  your  thoughts.  You  caimot  take  the 
height  nor  sound  the  depth  of  my  pardoning  grace. 

(2.)  Another  emblem  is  taken  from  the  sun  in  the  heav- 
ens. You  know,  that  soon  this  part  of  the  w^orld  will  be  the 
throne  of  darkness,  the  sable  curtains  of  the  night  will  spread 
over  all  its  beauties,  and  perhaps  in  the  morning  a  thick  fog 
or  mist  will  cover  it ;  thick  clouds  may  darken  the  heavens. 
But,  behold  the  glorious  creature  the  sun  chasing  before  him 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  breaking  up  the  mists  of  the 
morning,  scattering  the  dark  and  thick  clouds  of  heaven ; 
they  are  all  gone,  and  there  is  no  appearance  of  them. 
Just  so,  saith  God,  shall  it  be  with  thy  sins,  and  thy  fears 
arising  out  of  them.  "  I  have  blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud 
thy  transgressions,  and  as  a  cloud  thy  sins."  Isa.  44  :  22. 
Thy  soul  is  beclouded,  thy  fears  have  been  like  a  mist,  so 
that  thou  canst  not  see  the  grounds  of  thy  encouragement ; 
but  my  grace  shall  rise  upon  thee  like  the  sun  in  the  heavens, 
and  scatter  all  these  dismal  clouds,  both  of  guilt  and  fear, 
and  make  a  clear  heaven  over  thee,  and  a  clear  soul  within 
thee.     "  Unto  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the   Sun  of 


194  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings,"  Malachi 
4:2. 

(3.)  Another  resemblance  you  have  from  the  sea,  the 
great  abyss,  that  vast  congregation  of  waters  whose  depth 
no  line  can  fathom.  Yeer  out  as  much  line  as  you  will,  you 
cannot  touch  the  bottom.  To  this  unfathomable  ocean  the 
pardoning  grace  of  God  is  also  compared  :  "  Who  is  a  God 
like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity  and  passeth  by  the 
transgression  of  the  remnant  of  his  heritage  ?  He  retaineth 
not  his  anger  for  ever,  because  he  delighteth  in  mercy.  He 
will  turn  again,  he  will  have  compassion  upon  us  ;  he  will 
subdue  our  iniquities ;  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into 
the  depths  of  the  sea."  Micah  7  :  18,  19.  If  the  loftiest 
pyramid  or  highest  mountain  were  cast  into  the  depth  of  the 
sea,  it  would  never  be  seen  more  by  the  eyes  of  men.  God 
has  chosen  these  emblems  of  his  grace,  to  obviate  the  com- 
mon discouragement  of  Satan,  taken  from  the  greatness  and 
aggravation  of  sin  ;  and  thou  art  to  make  use  of  them,  and 
bless  the  Lord  for  them.  He  never  designed  them  for 
encouragement  to  sin,  but  for  encouragement  to  repentance 
and  faith. 

Evidence  5.  The  truth  of  this  conclusion  will  also 
appear  from  the  character  aiid  properties  of  the  grace  and 
pardoni7ig  mercy  of  God  towards  p)enitent  sinners.  There 
are  three  glorious  characters  of  divine  grace,  which  all  assure 
such  simiers  of  welcome  to  Christ,  whatever  they  have  been 
or  done. 

(1.)  It  is  superahounding  grace.  Waters  do  not  so 
abound  in  the  ocean,  nor  light  in  the  sun,  as  grace  and  com- 
passion in  God  towards  broken-hearted  sinners.  "  Let  him 
return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  ; 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  Isa.  ^^  :  8. 
The  compassion  of  God  inserted  that  word  on  purpose  to 
relieve  poor  souls  fainting  under  the  sense  of  their  abound- 
ing  iniquities.     Here  is  abundant   pardon   for  abounding 


NONE   REJECTED.  195 

guilt ;  and,  lest  a  desponding  sinner  should  not  find  enough 
here  to  quiet  his  fears,  the  Lord  goes  yet  further  in  the  ex- 
pression of  his  grace  :  "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
more  abound."  Rom.  5  :  20.  It  overflowed  all  the  bounds, 
it  rose  quite  above  the  high-water  mark  of  guilt ;  but  these 
overfloM'ings  of  grace  run  only  through  that  chaimel  of  all 
grace,  Jesus  Christ,  to  broken-hearted  and  obedient  simiers. 

(2.)  The  grace  of  God  to  such  souls  \%free — every  way 
free  ;  it  is  the  design  of  the  gospel  to  exhibit  this  its  glory. 
It  costs  you  nothing  but  acceptance  ;  it  is  free  without  merit ; 
yea,  free  against  merit.  You  can  deserve  nothing  of  God, 
therefore  his  grace  is  free  without  merit ;  yea,  you  have 
deserved  hell  as  often  as  you  have  sinned  against  him,  and 
so  it  is  free  against  merit.  If  a  pardon  were  to  be  pur- 
chased by  us,  we  are  whoUy  without  means  for  such  a  pur- 
chase ;  neither  could  we  borrow  from  men  or  angels  a  suffi- 
cient sum  :  blessed  be  God,  therefore,  that  it  flows  freely  to 
us  without  money  and  without  price.     Isa.  55  : 1. 

(3.)  Grace  glories  in  another  property  also,  wliich  is 
very  encouraging  to  the  soul  of  a  drooping  simier — it  is  the 
attribute  which  God  greatly  delights  to  exercise.  The 
mother  gives  not  her  breast  with  such  delight  to  her  hungry 
crymg  child,  as  the  Lord  does  his  mercy  to  broken-hearted 
and  hungry  sinners.  In  this  attribute  his  people  therefore 
admire  him  :  "  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee,  that  pardoneth 
iniquity  and  passeth  by  the  transgression  of  the  remnant  of 
his  heritage  ?  He  retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever,  because 
he  delighteth  in  mercy."  Micah  7  :  18.  You  cannot  give 
Jesus  Christ  more  delightful  employment  than  to  bind  up 
the  wounds  of  convinced  and  humbled  sinners.  Let  every 
such  soul  come  to  Christ  and  welcome ;  for  he  greatly 
delights  in  such  employments. 

Evidence  6.  Such  sinners  need  not  doubt  a  welcome 
reception  with  Christ ;  for  should  he  reject  such  as  these, 
then  none  can  have  the  benefit  of  his  blood,  and  conse- 


196  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt  AT   THE   DOOE,, 

qucntly  it  was  shed  in  vain,  as  water  spilt  upon  the  ground. 
The  blood  of  Clirist  is  invaluably  2^recious,  and  it  cannot 
be  lost ;  it  would  be  an  impeachment  of  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God  to  think  so ;  yet  so  it  must  be,  if  broken- 
hearted and  willing  souls  are  rejected  and  turned  back  from 
him.  There  are  but  two  sorts  of  sinners  in  the  world,  the 
hardened  and  the  broken-hearted,  willing  and  unwilling 
sinners.  As  for  impenitent  and  obstinate  sinners,  they  can 
have  no  benefit  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  they  shall  die  in 
their  sins ;  the  gospel  cuts  them  off  from  all  expectation  of 
pardon  and  mercy.  Now  there  is  but  one  sort  of  sinners 
more  left  in  the  world,  and  they  are  convinced  and  humbled 
sinners,  who  are  made  heartily  willing  to  receive  Christ 
upon  his  own  terms — who  stretch  forth  the  hand  of  desire 
to  him,  and  pant  after  an  interest  in  him.  Should  Christ 
reject  these  also,  who  shall  receive  the  benefit  of  his  blood? 
Did  Christ  die  in  vain ;  or  can  the  counsels  of  heaven  prove 
abortive  ?  No ;  fear  not  therefore  to  go  to  Christ,  thou 
broken-hearted  sinner,  thou  panting,  longing  soul ;  fear  not, 
he  will  not  cast  thee  out. 

Evidence  7.  Moreover,  for  the  encourage^nent  of  all 
such  souls,  mercy  ajid  pardon  are  designed  for  and  bestow- 
ed upon  the  greatest  sinners,  to  enhance  the  glory  of  free- 
grace  to  the  highest.  God  chooses  such  sinners  as  you  are, 
on  purpose  to  illustrate  the  glory  of  his  grace  in  and  upon 
you  :  he  knows  that  you,  to  whom  so  much  is  forgiven,  will 
love  much.  Luke  7:47.  Ye  that  have  done  so  much 
against  his  glory,  will  excel  others  in  zeal  and  obedience. 
1  Cor.  15:9,  10.  You  will  go  beyond  others  in  service  for 
God,  as  you  have  done  in  sinning  against  him. 

Inference  1 .  Learn  hence  ivhat  an  invaluable  mercy 
it  is  to  enjoy  the  gospel,  ivhich  is  so  great  a  relief  to  the  dis- 
tressed consciences  of  sinners.  Here  only  is  that  balm  that 
heals  your  spiritual  wounds.  The  gospel  hath  been  too 
little  prized  among  us,  the  Lord  pardon  the  guilt  thereof  to 


NONE  REJECTED.  197 

US.  Ah,  brethren,  if  you  were  in  the  heathen  world  with 
your  sick  and  wounded  consciences,  what  would  you  do  ? 
There  are  no  Bibles,  ministers,  or  promises,  not  a  breath  of 
Christ,  or  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  which  are  the  true  rem- 
edies of  sick  souls.  That  is  a  pitiful  cry,  Micah  6:6,  7, 
"  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself 
before  the  high  God  ?  Shall  I  come  before  him  with  burnt- 
offerings,  with  calves  of  a  year  old  ?  Will  the  Lord  be 
pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousand  rivers 
of  oil  ?  Shall  I  give  my  first-born  for  my  transgression,  the 
fruit  of  my  body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  ?"  Behold  here  the 
anguish  of  a  distressed,  sin-burdened  conscience  ;  it  would 
give  up  any  thing  in  the  world  for  peace ;  men  would  cast 
their  dearest  children,  their  first-born  into  the  burning 
flames,  if  that  might  be  an  atonement  for  their  sins.  0  the 
power  of  conscience,  and  the  misery  of  an  unrelieved  con- 
science ;  but  the  gospel  which  you  enjoy  leads  you  to  the 
fountain  of  pardon  and  peace.  "  With  his  stripes  we  are 
healed."  Isa.  53  : 5.  The  voice  of  the  gospel  is  peace  to 
every  one  that  believeth — a  rational  peace,  founded  upon 
the  full  satisfaction  of  Christ,  "In  whom  we  have  redemp- 
tion through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to 
the  riches  of  his  grace."  Eph.  1  :  7.  Here  you  see  justice 
and  mercy  embracing  each  other  ;  God  is  satisfied,  and  the 
sinner  justified ;  for  conscience  dem.ands  as  much  to  satisfy 
it,  as  God  to  satisfy  him. ;  if  God  be  satisfied,  conscience  is 
satisfied.  "  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful 
sound."  Psalm  89:15.  And  doubtless  it  is  a  joyful  sound 
to  every  convinced  and  humbled  soul.  "  Beautiful  upon  the 
mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings, 
that  publisheth  peace."  Isa.  52  :  7.  It  is  a  gospel  worthy 
of  all  acceptation.  1  Tim.  1  :  15.  It  brings  with  it  a  ful- 
ness of  blessings  among  the  people.  Provoke  not  God  to 
extinguish  this  blessed  light.  Great  is  our  wantoim.ess,  and 
ominous  is  our  barrenness  and  ingratitude.     "  Yet  a  little 


198  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

wWle  is  the  light  with  you.  Walk  while  ye  have  the  light, 
lest  darkness  come  upon  you ;  for  he  that  walketh  in  dark- 
ness, knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth."  Jolin  12:35.  Should 
God  put  out  this  light,  whither  would  ye  go  ?  Who  shall 
pour  balm  into  your  distressed  consciences  ? 

2.  Hence  itfolloivs  that  the  heinousness  of  past  sins  is 
no  bar  to  believing  and  accepting  Christ  upon  gospel-terms. 
Let  no  sinner  be  dismayed  by  the  atrocity  of  sins  past  from 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ  for  remission  and  peace.  I  am 
aware  what  mischievous  use  Satan  makes  of  former  sins  to 
discourage  souls  from  the  work  of  faith.  By  heaping  them, 
together,  he  raises  a  mountain  between  Christ  and  the  dis- 
tressed soul ;  but  behold  this  day  Christ  leaping  over  these 
mountains.  Could  this  objection  be  rolled  out  of  the  way, 
sinners  would  go  on  in  hope ;  but  certainly,  if  God  has  given 
thee  a  broken  heart  and  a  willing  mind,  the  greatness  of  thy 
sin  need  not  discourage  thee  from  believing.     For, 

(1.)  Thou  hast  sufficient  encouragement  from  the  suf- 
ficiency of  the  causes  of  pardon,  whatever  thy  particular 
enormities  have  been.  There  is  a  sufficiency  in  the  impul- 
sive cause,  the  free-grace  and  mercy  of  God.  Exod.  34  :  6, 
7  ;  Mic.  7  :  18,  19  ;  Isa.  55  :  7—9  ;  there  is  mercy  enough 
in  God  to  heal  and  cover  all.  And  there  is  no  less  sufficiency 
in  the  meritorious  cause  of  pardon,  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
which  taketh  away  all  sin.  1  Jolin,  1:7;  John  1  :  29. 
And  it  must  needs  be  so,  because  of  its  divine  blood.  Acts 
20  :  28.  Neither  is  there  any  defect  in  the  applying  cause, 
the  Spirit  of  God,  who  has  already  begun  to  work  upon  thy 
heart,  and  is  able  to  break  it  and  bow  it,  and  bring  it  fully 
to  Christ,  and  to  complete  the  work  of  faith  upon  thee  with 
power.  Thou  complainest  that  thou  canst  not  mourn  nor 
believe  as  thou  wouldst ;  but  he  wants  no  ability  to  supply 
all  the  defects  of  thy  repentance  and  faith.  If,  then,  the 
mercy  of  God  be  sufficient  to  pardon  the  sins  of  a  creature — 
if  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  treasures  and  revenues  of  a  king, 


NONE   REJECTED.  199 

be  able  to  pay  the  debts  of  a  beggar — if  the  Spirit  of  God, 
who  works  by  an  almighty  power,  be  able  to  convince  thee 
of  righteousness,  as  well  as  sin,  John  16  :  9,  10 — if  all  these 
three  causes  of  forgiveness  be  sufficient,  the  first  to  move,  the 
second  to  purchase,  and  the  third  to  apply ;  what  hinders 
but  thy  trembling  conscience  may  go  to  Christ,  and  thy  dis- 
couraged soul  move  onward  with  hope  in  the  way  of  believ- 
ing, whatever  thy  former  enormities  have  been  ? 

(2.)  If  God  raises  glory  to  his  name  out  of  the  great- 
ness of  the  sins  he  pardons,  then  the  greatness  of  sin  can 
be  no  discouragement  to  believing ;  and  this  he  does.  "  I 
will  cleanse  them  from  all  their  iniquity,  whereby  they  have 
sinned  against  me  ;  and  I  will  pardon  all  their  iniquities, 
whereby  they  have  sinned  and  whereby  they  have  trans- 
gressed against  me.  And  it  shall  be  to  me  a  name  of  joy,  a 
praise  and  an  honor  before  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  which 
shall  hear  all  the  good  that  I  do  unto  them  :  and  they  shall 
fear  and  tremble  for  all  the  goodness  and  for  all  the  pros- 
perity that  I  procure  unto  it,"  Jer.  33  :  8,  9  ;  as  a  cure 
performed  upon  a  man  laboring  under  a  desperate  disease 
honors  the  physician,  and  spreads  his  name  far  and  near. 
Satan  envies  God  this  glory  and  thy  soul  this  comfort,  and 
therefore  scares  thee  off  from  Christ  by  the  aggravations  of 
thy  sins.  David  was  willing  to  give  God  the  glory  of 
pardoning  his  great  iniquities,  and  with  that  very  argument 
entreats  himx  for  a  pardon :  "  Pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is 
great."  Psalm  25  :  11.  You  see  there  are  strange  waj^s  of 
arguing  in  Scripture,  which  are  not  in  use  among  men  ;  this 
is  one.  Lord,  pardon  my  sin,  for  it  is  great.  He  does  not 
say,  Lord,  pardon  it,  for  it  is  but  a  small  offence ;  but  par- 
don it  because  it  is  great  ;  and  the  greater  it  is,  the  greater 
glory  wilt  thou  have  in  pardoning  it.  And  then  there  is 
another  way  of  arguing  for  pardon  in  the  Scripture,  which 
is  peculiar  ;  and  that  is,  to  argue  from  former  pardons  unto 
new  pardons.     Wlien  men  beg  pardon  one  of  another,  they 


200  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT   THE  DOOR. 

are  wont  to  say,  I  never  wronged  you  before,  and  therefore 
forgive  now  ;  but  here  it  is  quite  otherwise  :  Lord,  thou  hast 
signed  thousands  of  pardons  heretofore,  therefore  pardon  me 
again.  Such  is  the  plea  in  Num.  14  :  19,  "  Pardon,  I  beseech 
thee,  the  iniquity  of  tliis  people,  according  to  the  greatness 
of  thy  mercy,  and  as  thou  hast  forgiven  this  people  from 
Egypt  even  until  now." 

(3.)  As  great  sins  as  those  that  now  confront  thy  con- 
science have  been  actually  forgiven  to  men,  upon  their 
humiliation  and  closing  with  Christ.  God  forbid  I  should 
dimuiish  and  extenuate  sin  ;  but  certain  I  am  that  free- 
grace  has  pardoned  as  great  simiers  as  thou  art,  upon  their 
repentance  and  faith.  What  think  you  ?  had  you  had  a  hand 
in  putting  Christ  to  death,  would  not  that  sin  have  been  as 
dreadful  as  any  that  now  discourages  you  ?  Yea,  certainly, 
you  would  have  thought  that  an  unpardonable  sin  ;  and  yet 
behold,  that  very  sin  was  no  bar  to  their  pardon  when  once 
they  were  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  miade  willing  to  come 
to  Christ.     Acts  2  :  36-38. 

(4.)  If  it  be  the  design  and  policy  of  Satan  to  object  the 
greatness  of  your  sins  to  prevent  their  pardon,  then  it  is 
neither  your  duty  nor  interest  to  use  it  for  the  same  end  ; 
thus  entering  into  a  confederacy  with  your  mortal  enemy  in 
a  plot  against  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  the  salvation  of  your 
own  soul.  Take  heed  what  you  do,  seal  not  Satan's  con- 
clusions. Do  you  think  it  is  a  small  matter  to  be  confed- 
erate with  the  devil  ?  Certainly  this  is  his  design  ;  he  mag- 
nifies your  sins  to  discourage  you  from  faith.  While  you 
were  secure  and  carnal,  he  never  magnified,  but  diminished 
your  sins  to  you ;  but  now  the  Lord  has  opened  your  eyes, 
and  you  are  brought  near  to  the  door  of  hope,  mercy,  and 
pardon,  he  magnifies  them,  hoping  thereby  to  lame  and 
weaken  thy  faith,  that  it  shall  not  be  able  to  carry  thee 
to  Christ. 

(5.)  If  thy  sin  is  really  unpardonable,  then  God  has 


NONE  REJECTED.  201 

somewhere  excepted  it  in  the  gospel-grant.  He  has  some- 
where said,  The  man  that  has  committed  this  sin,  or  con- 
tinued so  many  years  in  it,  shall  never  be  forgiven  :  but  in 
the  whole  New  Testament  there  is  but  one  sin  that  is  abso- 
lutely excepted  from  the  possibility  of  pardon,  and  that  such 
a  sin  as  thy  sorrows  and  desires  after  Christ  fully  acquit  thee 
from  the  guilt  of  This  sin  indeed  is  excepted  :  "  The  blas- 
phemy agamst  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto 
men."  Matt.  12:  31.  Tliis  is  that  which  the  Scripture 
calls  "  a  sin  unto  death."  1  John,  5:16.  Let  apostate 
professors,  transformed  into  persecutors,  scoffers,  and  haters 
of  godliness  and  the  professors  of  it,  look  to  themselves ; 
the  dreadful  symptoms  of  this  sin  appear  upon  such.  But 
the  humbled  soul  thirsting  after  Christ  stands  clear  of  the 
guilt  of  that  sin. 

(6.)  If  there  were  no  forgiveness  with  God  for  great 
sinners,  then  great  sinners  had  never  been  invited  to  come 
to  Christ.  The  invitations  of  the  gospel  are  no  mockeries, 
but  things  of  most  awful  solemnity.  Now,  such  sinners  are 
called  and  invited  under  the  encouragement  of  a  pardon. 
Consult  Isa.  1  :  10-17,  and  see  the  horrid  aggravations  of 
the  people's  sins;  and  yet,  at  ver.  17,  18,  you  may  read  the 
gracious  invitations  of  God,  with  promises  of  a  full  remis- 
sion. So  in  the  third  chapter  of  Jeremiah,  what  a  sad  cat- 
alogue of  sins  wdth  their  aggravations  do  you  find  ?  and 
yet  it  is  said,  "  Go  and  proclaim  these  words  towards  the 
north,  and  say,  Return,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  and  I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for 
I  am  merciful." 

(7.)  If  thy  sins  had  not  been  capable  of  remission,  God 
would  never  have  given  thee  conviction  of  sin,  nor  have 
drawn  forth  the  desires  of  thy  heart  in  tliis  manner  after 
Christ.  He  hath  united  remission  to  repentance.  Acts  5:31, 
and  a  blessing  to  gracious  desires  and  hungerings,  Matt.  5:6. 
There  is  therefore  hope,  that  when  God  has  given  thee  one, 

9* 


202  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

he  will  not  long  withhold  the  other.  This  very  wounding 
of  thy  heart  by  compunction,  and  drawing  forth  thy  will  by 
inclination,  shows  that  remission  is  not  only  possible,  but 
even  at  the  door. 

(8.)  Let  this  also  be  thine  encouragement,  whatever 
Satan  or  thine  own  heart  may  suggest  to  discourage  thee, 
that  great  sinners  are  moving  in  the  Avay  of  repentance  and 
faith  to  a  great  Saviour,  who  hath  merit  enough  in  his  blood, 
and  mercy  enough  in  his  heart,  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all 
that  come  unto  God  by  him.  Heb.  7  :  25.  The  Lord  open 
to  the  eyes  of  your  faith  the  rich  treasury  of  free-grace, 
Exodus  34  :  6,  7,  and  give  you  a  sight  of  that  plenteous 
redemption  and  forgiveness  which  are  with  God,  Psalm 
130  :  4,  7,  that  you  may  not  cast  reproach  on  the  most 
glorious  attribute  of  God,  undervalue  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ,  and  stab  your  own  souls  with  a  death-wound  of  des- 
peration ;  which  is  what  Satan  intends,  and  what  the  gospel 
designs  to  prevent. 

3.  If  the  vilest  of  sinners  may  as  readily  be  pardoned, 
on  their  closing  with  Christ  by  faith,  as  the  least  of  sinners, 
the  pardon  and  salvation  of  sinners  is  not  built  upon  any 
righteousness  in  themselves,  but  only  on  the  free-grace  of 
God  in  Jesus  Christ.  Do  not  think  God  hath  set  the  blood 
of  Christ  to  sale,  and  that  those  only  are  capable  of  the  ben- 
efits of  it  who  have  lived  the  most  strict  and  sober  lives. 
No  ;  though  sobriety,  morality,  and  strictness  in  religious 
duties  are  commanded  and  commended  in  the  gospel,  yet 
no  man  by  these  things  can  purchase  a  pardon  for  the  least 
sin.  "  If  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works  :  otherwise 
grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  it  is 
no  more  grace;  otherwise  work  is  no  more  work."  Rom. 
11:6.  See  how  these  exclude  one  another:  thus  Titus 
3:5,  "  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done, 
but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us."  No  man  can  sat- 
isfy God  by  any  thing  he  can  do  or  sufier  ;  not  by  doing,  for 


NONE   REJECTED.  203 

all  we  do  is  mixed  wdth  sin,  Job  14  :  4,  and  that  which 
is  sinful  can  be  no  atonement  for  sin.  All  we  do  or  can  do 
is  a  debt  due  to  God,  Luke  17  :  10,  and  one  debt  cannot 
satisfy  for  another.  Nor  yet  by  mfering,  for  the  sufferings 
awarded  by  the  law  are  everlasting  ;  and  to  be  ever  satisfy- 
ing is  never  to  satisfy :  so  then,  by  the  works  of  the  law 
shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified  in  his  sight.  The  saints  in 
all  generations  have  fled  to  mercy  for  remission.  Psalm 
130  :  8.  Of  the  two  debtors,  Luke  7  :  41,  42,  though  there 
was  a  vast  difference  in  the  debts,  yet  of  the  lesser,  as  well 
as  of  the  greater,  it  is  said  they  had  nothing  to  pay.  Noth- 
ing but  the  satisfaction  of  Christ  can  meet  the  demands  of 
God  upon  you. 

4.  If  the  grace  of  Christ  be  thus  free  to  the  greatest  of 
simiers,  it  is  both  our  siii  and  folly  to  keep  away  from 
Christ,  and  to  draw  back  from  believing,  for  ivant  of  qual- 
ifications ivhich  we  find  not  to  be  wrought  in  our  hearts. 
Poor  convinced  souls  think  if  they  had  rriore  humility,  ten- 
derness, love  to  God,  and  spirituality  of  mind,  this  would 
be  some  encouragement  to  believe ;  but  because  they  have 
no  such  ornaments  to  dress  up  their  souls  withal,  they  are 
not  fit  to  go  to  Christ.  Now,  to  correct  this  great  mistake, 
let  two  things  be  considered. 

(1 .)  Such  an  idea  as  this  crosses  the  very  stream  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  where  nothing  is  sold,  but  all  is  freely 
given.  This  is  the  very  spirit  of  the  covenant  of  works  : 
fain  would  we  find  something  in  ourselves  to  bring  to  God, 
to  procure  his  favor  and  acceptance  ;  but  the  gospel  tells 
us  we  must  come  naked  and  empty-handed,  to  be  justified 
freely  by  his  grace.  Rom.  3  :  24.  We  must  be  justified  as 
Abraham  was,  who  believed  in  him  that  justifieth  the 
ungodly  ;  "  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  belie veth  on  him 
that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteous- 
ness." Rom.  4:5.  The  meaning  is,  to  him  that  worketh 
not  in  a  law-sense,  to  procure  pardon  and  acceptance  by  and 


204  CHRIST  KNOCtCINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

for  his  works.  Go  then,  poor  shiner,  unto  God  through 
Christ,  and  tell  him  thou  hast  nothing  to  bring  him ;  that 
thou  comest  not  to  bring,  but  to  receive.  Lord,  I  am  a  vile 
sinner,  I  have  nothing  to  plead  but  thy  mercy  and  Christ's 
merit.     This  is  the  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

(2.)  By  delaying  faith,  for  w^ant  of  these  qualifications, 
you  invert  the  settled  order  of  the  gosj^el.  It  is  as  if  a  man 
should  say.  If  I  were  cured  of  such  and  such  disease,  I 
would  go  to  the  physician.  Alas,  could  you  otherwise 
procure  the  healing  of  your  corruptions,  or  the  gracious 
qualifications  you  speak  of,  you  would  have  no  need  to  go  to 
Christ  at  all.  Nothing  is  required  of  us  in  coming  to 
Christ,  but  such  a  sense  of  and  sorrow  for  sin,  as  makes  us 
heartily  udlling  to  accept  Christ  and  subscribe  the  terms  on 
which  he  is  offered  in  the  gospel. 

5.  Behold  the  admirahle  condescension  of  Christ,  that 
he  comes  into  the  heart  of  the  vilest  sinner,  and  takes  up 
his  abode  in  that  sotd  ivhich  has  been  the  seat  of  Satan, 
wJiere  he  has  ruled,  and  every  lust  has  been  harbored! 
In  two  things  the  admirable  condescension  of  Christ  appears. 
First,  in  taking  union  with  our  nature  after  sin  had  blasted 
the  beauty  of  it.  This  was  marvellous  indeed,  and  was  justly 
admired  by  the  apostle :  "  He  made  himself  of  no  reputation, 
and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men."  Phil.  2  :  7.  "Yea,  God  sent  his 
own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh."  Rom.  8:3.  But, 
secondly,  it  is  admirable  in  our  eyes  that  Christ  should 
become  united  with  our  persons,  and  take  up  his  abode  in 
our  hearts,  after  Satan  and  sin  had  so  long  inhabited  and 
defiled  them — that  he  should  accept  these  members  as 
instruments  of  his  service — that  very  tongue  to  praise  him 
that  had  blasphemed  him  ;  yet  so  he  is  willing  to  do,  and 
commands  us  to  deliver  them  up  to  him  :  "As  ye  have 
yielded  your  members  servants  to  uncleaimess,  and  to 
iniquity  unto  iniquity ;  even  so  now  yield  your  members 


NONE  REJECTED.  205 

servants  to  righteousness,  unto  holiness."  Rom.  G  :  19.  One 
would  have  thought  Jesus  Christ  would  have  said,  Vile 
wretch,  Satan  has  had  the  service  of  thy  soul  and  body, 
from  the  beginning  to  this  day ;  thy  memory  hath  been 
his  storehouse,  thy  mouth  his  shop,  thy  will  his  throne, 
and  all  thy  members  his  tools  and  instruments  to  sin  against 
me  :  thou  hast  been  a  creature  dedicated  to  Satan,  and  to 
him  thou  shalt  go.  Instead  of  tliis,  the  merciful  Lord 
declares  his  willingness,  if  thou  wilt  open  thy  soul  to  receive 
him,  to  cleanse  it  by  his  Spirit,  and  make  it  his  temple  to 
dwell  in.     0  admirable  grace  I 

6.  How  just  and  inevitable  luill  be  their  damnation 
who  consent  not  to  the  necessary  and  reasonable  terms  of 
the  gospel,  ivhich  is  the  only  point  on  ivhich  Christ  and 
their  soids  part  for  ever.  The  terms  required  by  the  gos- 
pel are  every  way  equitable  and  reasonable.  If  a  gracious 
prince  will  bestow  a  pardon  upon  a  traitor,  on  the  condition 
that  he  lay  down  his  arms,  acknowledge  his  offence,  and 
attach  himself  to  his  prince's  service,  and  he  shall  refuse  so 
to  do,  how  just  would  his  destruction  be.  And  what  else 
does  God  require  of  thee,  but  this  ?  "  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts :  and 
let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon 
him;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon." 
Isa.  55  :  7.  And  as  the  damnation  of  such  is  just,  so  it  will 
be  inevitable  :  for  if  there  is  no  way  to  glory  but  by  Christ, 
as  you  know  there  is  not,  from  Acts  4  :  12,  "Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other  ;"  and  if  there  is  no  way  to 
Christ,  but  by  accepting  him  upon  these  very  terms,  as  it 
plainly  appears,  from  Luke  14:26,  there  is  not,  what 
remains  but  inevitable  destruction  to  all  that  reject  the 
terms  of  the  gospel?  If  you  will  not  have  Christ  with  all 
the  sufferings  and  reproaches  that  attend  liim,  your  mouths 
will  be  stopped ;  no  plea  will  be  left  you  in  the  great  day. 
You  refused  the  gracious  offer  when  it  was  seasonably  made 


206       .      CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOE,. 

you  by  the  gospel,  and  you  must  expect  no  more  such 
offers  to  eternity.  Thy  blood,  sinner,  be  upon  thine  own 
head ;  the  freeness  and  importunity  of  the  tenders  of  grace 
will  then  only  serve  to  illustrate  and  clear  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  thy  condemnation. 

In  the  next  place,  the  doctrine  naturally  leads  me  to  an 
EARNEST  PERSUASIVE  uuto  all  simicrs,  of  what  kind  or  degree 
soever  they  be,  to  hearken  to  the  voice  of  Christ,  who  takes 
them  all  within  the  compass  of  his  gracious  invitation  in  the 
text,  saying,  "  If  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in."  Let  all  sinners  bless  God  for  the 
extent  of  this  invitation — that  they  find  themselves  by  it 
within  the  reach  of  a  merciful  Redeemer ;  and  that  there  is 
nothing  wanting  to  secure  their  salvation,  but  the  hearty 
consent  of  their  wills  to  the  reasonable  and  necessary  terms 
of  the  gospel.  In  the  whole  book  of  God,  there  is  but  one 
case  absolutely  excepted  from  the  possibility  of  forgiveness  ; 
of  which  Christ  speaks.  Matt.  12  :  31,  32.  And  what  is  the 
reason  that  this  only  is  an  incurable  wound  ?  It  cannot  be 
because  the  malignity  of  this  sin  exceeds  the  virtue  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  but  because  there  is  no  sacrifice  appointed 
by  the  Lord  for  it.  God  never  designed  that  the  blood  of 
Christ  should  be  an  expiatory  sacrifice  for  that  sin,  as  the 
apostle  plainly  speaks,  Heb.  6  :  4-7.  All  other  sins  and 
blasphemies  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men,  saith  Christ ;  that 
is,  they  are  capable  of  forgiveness,  upon  sincere  and  actual 
repentance  and  faith ;  yea,  they  have  been  pardoned  unto 
many.  The  greater  any  man's  sins  have  been,  the  greater 
need  he  has  to  hasten  to  Christ  for  pardon.  There  are 
some  greater  sinners  than  others  ;  for  though  no  sin  be  light 
and  trivial  in  itself,  yet,  compared  one  with  another,  there  is 
a  vast  difference  between  them  in  the  aggravation  of  sins. 
I  will  labor  to  show  you  by  what  rules  men  are  to  estimate 
the  greatness  and  aggravation  of  sin  ;  and  then,  to  convince 


NOKE  REJECTED.  207 

you  that  tlie  greatest  of  sinners  may  have  mercy  as  well  as 
the  less.  "Publicans  and  the  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom 
of  God  before  you,"  saith  Christ,  Matt.  22  :  31.  The  rules 
by  which  to  estimate  the  aggravations  and  greatness  of  sin 
are  these : 

7.  There  are  sins  of  infirmity,  committed  out  ofiveak- 
ness;  and  there  are  crying  sins  in  the  cars  of  the  Lord. 
Of  sins  of  infirmity  you  read  in  Gal.  6:1,  where  it  is 
called  being  "  overtaken  in  a  fault."  Here  is  no  deliberate 
consent,  but  a  surprise  :  these  go  not  to  the  account  of  gross 
and  heinous  enormities,  called  in  Scripture,  crying  sins,  such 
as  the  sin  of  oppression,  Hab.  2  :  10,  11  :  "  The  stone  shall 
cry  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the  timber  shall 
answer  it."  The  meaning  is,  that  the  injustice  and  oppres- 
sion which  men  have  used  in  raising  their  houses,  shall  cry 
in  the  ears  of  the  Lord  for  vengeance.  The  stone  in  the 
wall  shall  say,  I  was  digged  out  of  the  quarry,  hewn,  and 
laid  here  by  the  unrewarded  labors  of  the  poor  mason  ;  and 
the  timber  out  of  the  beam  shall  say,  I  was  hewn,  squared, 
and  placed  here  by  the  unrewarded  hands  of  the  carpenter. 
This  is  a  crying  sin  ;  so  also  is  the  sin  of  murder,  when  our 
hands  have  been  defiled  with  innocent  blood.  This  makes  a 
dismal  cry  to  heaven  :  *'  The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood 
crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground."  Gen.  4:10.  This  is  a  sin 
that  makes  a  horrid  outcry  in  both  worlds  at  once  :  to  God 
and  in  the  sinner's  conscience.  The  sin  of  Sodom  made  a  cry 
which  went  up  to  heaven.  "  The  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah is  great,  and  because  their  sin  is  very  grievous."  Gen.. 
18  :  20.  Compare  these  sins  with  those  of  common  infirm- 
ity, which  come  by  way  of  involuntary  surprise,  and  what  a 
vast  difference  will  be  found  in  the  aggravation  of  them. 

8.  You  find  in  Scripture  a  great  differ eiice  'put  betiveen 
those  sins  committed  against  the  light  of  knowledge  in  the 
sinner  s  conscience,  and  sins  of  ignorance  committed  for 
want  of  knoivledge.     Christ  himself  puts  a  great  difference 


208  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOIl. 

between  them,  Luke  12  :  47,  48  ;  and  so  doth  the  apostle: 
"  To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  liini 
it  is  sin,"  James  4  :  17 — sin  with  a  witness. 

9.  There  are  single  acts  of  sin,  and  continued  or  re- 
peated acts  of  sin — sins  committed  after  convictions,  prorai- 
ises,  and  resolutions.  There  is  not  so  much  guilt  in  a  single 
act  of  sin  as  in  a  continued  course  of  sin,  adding  of  drunk- 
enness to  thirst,  Deut.  29  :  19 ;  described  also  as  adding  sin 
to  sin,  Isa.  30  :  1.  For  as  it  is  in  numbering,  so  in  sin- 
ning: if  the  first  figure  be  1,  the  second  is  10,  the  third 
100,  the  fourth  1,000  ;  and  every  addition  makes  a  greater 
multiplication.  0  what  a  dreadful  reckoning  will  there  be 
for  the  consciences  of  sinners  I 

10.  Co?itrivers  and  studiers  of  sin  are  alivays  in  Scrip- 
ture placed  in  the  first  rank  of  sinners.  The  best  servant 
God  has  in  the  world  m.ay  be  surprised  by  the  deceitfulness 
of  sin,  against  the  bent  and  resolution  of  his  soul ;  but  the 
contrivance  and  plotting  sin  is  quite  another  thing ;  therefore 
it  is  said  of  the  wicked,  "  They  conceive  mischief,  and  bring 
forth  vanity,  and  their  belly  prepareth  deceit."  Job  15  :  35. 
Sin  has  its  time  of  conception,  growth,  and  birth ;  and  all 
this  by  the  deliberate  consent  of  the  heart  and  will,  which 
cherish  it. 

1 1 .  There  are  ringleaders  in  sin,  and  single  personal 
sins  tahich  spread  no  further  than  ourselves.  A  ring- 
leader in  sin  is  in  Scripture  reckoned  among  the  greatest 
sinners  :  "  Thou  hast  there  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of 
Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  be- 
fore the  children  of  Israel."  Rev.  2  :  14.  Thus  Jero- 
boam the  son  of  Nebat  made  Israel  to  sin.  There  is  the 
same  difference  between  these  and  single  personal  sins,  as 
there  is  between  a  chain-shot  and  a  single  bullet.  Mind 
this,  you  that  have  induced  others  to  sin  by  your  counsel 
or  example. 

12.  There  are  sins  in  ivhich  men  take  pleasure,  and 


NONE  REJECTED.  209 

sins  for  which  'inen  mourn.  The  more  pleasure  any  man 
takes  in  sin,  the  greater  is  the  sin  in  its  aggravation.  We 
read  of  some  in  whose  mouths  wickedness  is  sweet,  and 
they  hide  it  under  their  tongue.  Job  20  :  12.  That  is, 
they  draw  a  great  deal  of  contemplative  delight  before  and 
after  the  commission  of  sin,  as  well  as  in  the  commission  of 
it.  It  is  bad  enough  to  sin  and  sigh,  to  sin  and  weep  ;  but 
to  sin  and  boast,  to  sin  and  make  a  mock  of  sin,  what  pro- 
digious sinning  is  this  I  0  sinner,  what  a  heart  hast  thou, 
that  can  sport  with  that  which  grieves  God  and  crucified 
Christ,  and  which,  without  deep  repentance,  will  damn  thine 
own  soul. 

13.  The  more  bonds  of  restraint  any  man  breaks  asun- 
der to  commit  sin,  the  greater  tJiat  sin  is  in  the  sight  of 
God.  There  are  some  persons  upon  whom  God  has  laid 
more  restraints  to  keep  them  back  from  iniquity,  than,  he 
has  upon  others.  The  more  mercies  he  has  bestowed  upon 
you,  the  more  restraints  you  have  from  sin.  So  many  mer- 
cies, so  many  ties,  Jer.  2  :  5,  6  ;  especially  spiritual  mercies, 
as  light  in  your  minds,  pardons  sealed  to  your  consciences, 
love  manifested  to  your  souls.  Such  also  are  your  own 
vows  and  resolutions :  "  Thou  saidst,  I  will  not  transgress." 
Jer.  2  :  20.  Didst  not  thou  promise  me,  saith  God,  more 
care  and  circumspection  for  time  to  come  ?  And  such  are 
all  the  examples  and  warnings  God  has  given  us  by  his 
judgments  upon  others.  1  Cor.  10 :  11.  These  things 
make  sin  out  of  measure  sinful.  The  design  of  all  tliis  is 
to  show  you  the  indispensable  need  of  repentance  and  faith 
to  carry  you  to  Christ. 

Objection.  But  I  am  the  person  upon  whom  these 
aggravated  sins  are  found.  You  speak  to  me  of  going  to 
Christ ;  alas,  there  is  no  hope  of  mercy  for  such  a  wretch 
as  I  am. 

Answer.  Give  me  leave  to  tell  you,  that  you  have  a 
text  before  you  wliich  clears  the  way  of  your  duty  and  sal- 


210  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

vation  at  once  :  "  If  any  man,"  be  he  what  he  may,  and  be 
his  sins  never  so  great,  "  will  hear  my  voice  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,"  saith  Christ.  There  is  mercy  in 
Jesus  Christ  for  thee,  who  art  guilty  of  crying  sins ;  for  thee, 
who  hast  sinned  against  light ;  for  thee,  who  "  hast  added 
drunkenness  to  thirst ;"  for  thee,  who  hast  contrived  sin 
with  deliberation ;  for  thee,  who  hast  induced  others  to  sin 
by  counsel  or  example ;  for  thee,  who  hast  taken  pleasure 
in  iniquity,  and  made  a  sport  of  sin  ;  yea,  and  for  thee,  who 
hast  broken  asunder  the  bonds  of  mercies,  vows,  and  warn- 
ings, provided  thou  wilt  now  hear  the  voice  of  Christ,  and 
thy  will  open  to  him  with  a  hearty  consent.  Isa.  55  :  4. 
You  are  great  sinners ;  but  I  show  this  day  a  great  and 
almighty  Saviour,  one  who  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost 
all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.  Heb.  7  :  25.  There  is  a 
sacrifice  appointed  for  these  sins.  Bless  God  for  that ;  they 
are  nowhere  excepted  from  the  possibility  of  forgiveness. 
Nothing  but  the  impenitence  of  thy  heart,  and  the  obstinacy 
of  thy  will,  can  hinder  thee  from  a  full  pardon.  Look  round 
about  thee  to  the  uttermost  horizon  of  thy  guilt,  and  Christ 
can  save  to  the  uttermost  point  the  eye  of  thy  conscience 
can  discern,  yea,  and  beyond  it  too  ;  but  then  thou  must 
come  unto  liim.  You  speak  of  the  greatness  of  sin,  and  you 
have  indeed  cause  to  have  sad  thoughts  about  it ;  but  you 
consider  not  that  your  unbelief,  by  which  you  stand  ofi^  from 
Christ  your  only  remedy,  is  the  greatest  sin  that  ever  you 
were  guilty  of  against  the  Lord.  This  is  the  sin  that  binds 
the  guilt  of  all  your  other  sins  upon  you.  Let  me  therefore 
address  myself, 

(L)  To  you  ivliose  co?isciences  are  alarojied  with  the 
hideous  aggravations  of  your  sins,  by  reason  whereof  your 
oMTi  misgiving  hearts,  assisted  by  the  policy  of  Satan,  dis- 
courage you  from  all  attempts  to  gain  Christ  and  pardon 
through  repentance  and  faith.  Let  me  hint  three  or  four 
considerations  to  you,  by  way  of  encouragement. 


NONE  REJECTED.  211 

The  sparing  goodness  of  God  gives  encouragement  that 
God  may  have  a  reserve  of  mercy  for  so  great  a  smner  as 
thou  art.  0  what  a  mercy  is  it,  that  thy  life  has  been 
spared  hitherto.  Many  of  thy  companions  in  sin  are  beyond 
hope,  while  thou  art  left.  This  is  no  sure  sign  of  God's  gra- 
cious intention  to  thee,  unless  his  goodness  and  forbearance 
lead  thee  to  repentance.  Then  the  gracious  intention  of 
God  in  prolonging  thy  Ufe  would  appear.  But  it  is  itself  a 
great  mercy,  because  without  it  no  spiritual  mercy  could  be 
expected. 

It  is  matter  of  encouragement,  that  though  your  disease 
be  dreadful,  it  is  7iot  incurable.  The  text  brings  it  within 
the  compass  of  mercy ;  0  bless  God  for  those  words,  "  If 
any  man." 

As  great  sinners  as  you  have  been  have  found  mercy, 
1  Tim.  1  :  16,  and  God  would  have  it  recorded  for  your 
encouragement.  If  the  Lord  shall  make  thy  heart  break 
and  thy  will  bow,  whatever  thy  sins  have  been  they  shall 
not  bar  thee  from  forgiveness.  But  if  thou  resolve  to  go  on 
in  sin,  or  sit  down  discouraged,  and  wilt  not  come  at  the 
invitation  of  Christ,  then  thy  wound  is  incurable  indeed, 
and  thy  sentence  has  already  passed  upon  thee  for  hell. 
"  The  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
1  Cor.  6  :  9.  God  forbid  that  this  should  be  the  issue  of 
Christ's  gracious  invitations  to  thee,  and  forbearance  of  thee. 
Seeing  mercy  is  tendered  to  any  man  that  will  accept  it 
on  Christ's  terms,  exclude  not  thyself 

(2.)  I  will  now  address  this  exhortation  to  persons  who 
are  not  of  the  notorious  rank  of  profane  sinners,  but  whose 
lives  have  been  drawn  more  smoothly  through  a  course  of 
morality.  These  have  as  great  need  to  be  pressed  to  repent- 
ance and  faith  as  the  most  notorious  sinners  in  the  world. 
They  are  a  generation  that  bless  themselves  in  their  own 
eyes,  and  thank  God  with  the  Pharisee  that  they  are  "  not 
as  other  men."     Luke  18  :  11.     They  acknowledge  conver- 


212  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

sion  to  be  the  duty  of  the  profane,  and  that  such  sinners 
stand  in  need  of  it.  But  as  for  themselves,  they  scarcely 
know  where  to  find  matter  for  repentance,  nor  do  they  feel 
any  need  of  Christ.  Now,  I  would  lay  three  considerations 
before  such  persons,  to  convince  them  that  their  case  is  as 
sad  and  hazardous,  yea,  in  some  respects,  more  hazardous 
than  the  state  of  the  most  notorious  sinners  ;  and  that  a 
change  must  also  pass  upon  them,  or  else  it  had  been  good 
for  them  that  they  had  never  been  born. 

Consideration  1.  Let  the  moral  part  of  the  world  lay 
this  thought  to  their  hearts,  that  though  their  si?is  are  7wt 
so  gross  to  a2:>pearance  as  other  men's  are,  yet,  continued  in, 
they  icill  lyrove  as  destructive  as  the  greater  abominations 
of  other  men.  No  sin,  absolutely  considered,  is  small. 
Every  sin  is  damning  A^dthout  Christ.  "  The  wages  of  sin 
is  death."  E-om.  6  :  23.  It  is  no  great  difference,  if  a  man 
be  killed,  whether  it  be  by  a  sword  or  a  penknife.  The 
least  sin  violates  the  whole  law.  He  that  offendeth  in  one 
point,  is  guilty  of  all.  James  2  :  10.  The  least  transgres- 
sion of  the  law  pulls  down  its  curse  upon  the  sinner's  head. 
And  this  is  your  misery,  that  you  are  out  of  Christ  and 
stand  under  the  terms  of  the  first  covenant.  Moreover,  the 
law  of  God  is  violated  not  only  externally,  but  internally. 
Thus,  every  michaste  thought  is  adultery,  and  the  inward 
burning  of  malice  and  anger  in  the  heart  is  murder.  Now, 
if  the  Lord  shall  bring  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  law  home 
to  your  consciences  as  he  did  to  Paul's,  Rom.  7  :  9,  you  will 
certainly  give  up  the  plea,  that  you  have  not  so  much  need 
of  conversion  as  other  sinners  have.  There  are  sins  of 
greater  infamy,  and  sins  of  deeper  guilt.  There  may  be 
more  guilt  in  sins  that  are  stifled  in  thy  heart,  and  never 
defamed  thee,  than  in  some  others  that  are  seen  by  the 
world. 

Consideration  2.  You  are  guilty  of  one  sin  more  hei- 
nous tJum  any  outward  act,  tlmt  is,  your  trusting  to  your 


NONE  REJECTED.  213 

own  righteousness  as  the  Pharisees  did.  "  He  spake  this 
parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in  themselves  that  they 
were  righteous,  and  despised  others."  Luke  18  :  9.  Here 
is  an  idol  set  up  in  the  room  of  Christ.  It  is  true,  this  sin 
makes  not  so  loud  a  noise  as  the  sins  of  profane  persons  do ; 
but  it  is  as  abominable  in  the  eyes  of  God,  as  the  sins  that 
are  most  ofiensive  among  men.  Moral  persons,  thus  trust- 
ing to  their  oviai  morahty,  and  neglecting  Jesus  Christ,  will 
be  found  ultimately  among  those  who  have  "  a  portion  with 
unbelievers."     Luke  12:  46. 

CoNsroERATioN  3.  It  has  been  always  fcmnd  a  more 
difficult  thing  to  convince  and  bring  to  Christ  the  moral 
part  of  the  ivorld,  tJian  to  convince  the  p-ofane  part  of  it. 
"  Publicans  and  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before 
you/'  Matt.  21  :31.  Publicans  were  reckoned  the  vilest 
of  men,  and  harlots  the  worst  of  women  ;  yet  either  of  these 
were  more  readily  brought  to  Christ  than  self-righteous 
Pharisees.  Away  then  with  your  idle  pretensions  that  you 
are  safer  and  better  than  others.  By  what  has  been  said, 
it  appears  that  you  stand  in  as  much  need  of  Christ  as 
the  most  infamous  sinners  in  the  world  do. 

This  doctrine  presents  great  encouragement  to  every 
obedient  soul  whom  the  Lord  shall  persuade  to  comply  with 
the  call  of  the  gospel,  whatever  his  former  rebellions  have 
been.  There  are  some  v*^hose  hearts  the  Lord  has  touched 
with  a  sense  of  their  sin  and  misery,  and  of  the  all-sufficient 
remedy  in  Christ,  but  the  sense  of  former  rebellions  appalls 
them;  they  cannot  hope  for  acceptance  with  him.  Here 
is  good  news  for  such  souls  ;  Christ  is  at  the  door,  and  for- 
mer rebellions  are  no  bar  to  him,  provided  there  is  now  a 
hearty  compliance  with  his  invitation,  "  I  will  come  in  to 
him."  A  glorious  promise,  comprising  five  inestimable 
benefits. 

(1.)  This  is  the  most  glorious  work  of  God  that  can  be 


214  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

wrouglit  upon  the  heart  of  a  smner,  to  open  it  by  repent- 
ance and  faith,  and  put  Christ  in  full  possession  of  it. 
The  power  of  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  ministers  on  eart^^, 
duties,  and  ordinances  cannot  effect  this ;  this  is  the  pecu- 
liar work  of  God.  "  Of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus."  1 
Cor.  1  :  30.  As  it  was  the  marvellous  work  of  God  to 
unite  our  nature  unto  Christ,  so  it  is  no  less  a  marvellous 
work  of  God  to  unite  our  persons  to  Christ,  to  prepare  the 
soul  as  a  habitation  for  Christ,  and  give  him  the  possession 
of  it. 

(2.)  This  coming  of  Christ  into  the  soul  is  the  very 
foundation  of  all  our  hopes  for  glory  ;  until  this  be  done,  we 
are  without  hope.  But  in  the  same  hour  when  Christ  comes 
into  the  soul,  a  solid  foundation  of  the  hope  of  glory  is  laid 
in  that  soul,  "  which  is  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory." 
Col.  1  :  27.  I  know  the  unregenerate  world  is  full  of  hope, 
but  their  hopes  are  built  upon  the  sand.  Union  with  Christ 
is  the  firm  foundation  on  which  the  hopes  of  heaven  are 
laid. 

(3.)  "  I  will  come  in  to  him  ;"  that  is,  to  dwell  in  his 
soul  for  ever,  never  to  leave  him  more ;  therefore  he  is  said 
to  dwell  in  our  hearts  by  faith,  Eph.  3  :  17 — not  sojourn  for 
a  night,  but  abide  there  for  ever.  Nothing  can  separate 
Christ  and  that  soul.  E.om.  8  :  35.  Thy  soul  shall  never 
be  a  habitation  for  Satan  again.  When  Christ  comes  in,  he 
saith,  as  of  the  temple,  "  This  is  my  rest  for  ever  :  here  will 
I  dwell."     Psalm  132  :  14. 

(4.)  This  coming  in  of  Christ  entitles  the  soul  to  all 
spiritual  privileges  :  "  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  hfe," 
1  John,  5  :  12  ;  and,  "All  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's." 
1  Cor.  3  :  22,  23. 

(5.)  This  is  the  highest  honor  that  ever  God  put  upon 
a  creature,  "  I  will  come  in  to  him."  0  how  should  the 
soul  feel  itself  advanced  by  such  an  honor  as  this.  What, 
to  be  the  living  temple  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  him  to  dwell  and 


NONE  REJECTED.  215 

walk  in  thy  soul!     2  Cor.  6  :  16.     I  tell  you,  this  is  an 
honor  beyond  and  ahove  the  honor  done  to  angels. 

And  how  near  art  thou  to  all  these  blessed  privileges  in 
the  day  that  thy  heart  is  wounded  for  sin  ?  Thy  thoughts 
become  solicitous  about  union  with  Christ,  and  thy  will 
begins  to  yield  after  a  serious  examination  of  the  terms  of 
the  gospel  in  thy  most  solemn  thoughts.  God  forbid  any 
thing  should  now  hinder  the  completing  of  so  great  a 
work. 


216  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

NONE   RECEIVE    CHRIST   UNTIL    HIS    SPIRITUAL 
QUICKENING  VOICE   IS   HEARD. 

"IF  ANY  MAN   HEAR  3IY  VOICE   AND   OPEN   THE    DOOR,   I  WILL 
COME  IN  TO  HIM."    Rev.  3  :  20. 

In  the  former  chapters,  Christ's  general  invitation  to 
sinners  has  been  considered  :  we  are  now  to  consider  the 
principal  instrument  by  which  the  heart  of  a  simier  is 
opened  to  receive  Christ ;  and  that  is  not  by  the  poAver 
of  his  own  will,  nor  merely  by  the  efficacy  of  the  gospel 
preached,  but  by  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  opens  the 
will,  and  makes  the  persuasions  of  the  gospel  effectual.  "If 
any  man  hear  my  voice." 

Hearing  is  either  external  or  internal ;  for  the  soul  has 
its  ear  as  well  as  the  body.  *'  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him 
hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches,"  Rev.  2:17; 
that  is,  he  that  hath  a  spiritual  ear,  by  which  to  perceive 
and  judge  the  voice  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  a  sore  judgment 
when  God  denies  such  an  ear  to  the  soul.  "  Go  and  tell 
this  people,  hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not."  Isa.  6:9. 
Spiritual  hearing  is  the  work  of  the  inner  man.  And  though 
we  have  many  auditors,  yet,  in  this  sense,  we  have  no  more 
hearers  than  believers.  Words  of  sense  in  Scripture  describe 
affections.  This  hearing  of  Christ's  voice  implies  not  only 
the  receiving  the  sound  of  the  gospel  into  the  external  organ, 
but  the  work  of  the  understanding,  which  by  the  ear  trieth 
words  as  the  mouth  tasteth  meat,  Job  12:11;  and  the 
work  of  the  affections,  which  receive  the  truth  in  love. 
2  Thess.  2:10.  It  also  implies  the  obedience  of  the  soul 
to  what  we  hear.  We  cannot  be  said,  in  this  sense,  to  hear 
what  we  obey  not.  Our  minds  may  be  delighted  with  the 
pleasant  melody  of  the  gospel,  and  yet  it  is  as  if  we  heard 
it  not,  when  obedience  does  not  follow  hearing.     "  Thou  art 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  217 

unto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant 
voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an  instrument ;  for  they  hear 
thy  words,  but  they  do  them  not."  Ezek.  33  :  32.  But  in 
this  place  it  signifies  the  vital  sound  of  Christ's  efficacious 
voice,  which  is  the  principle  of  spiritual  life  to  the  souls  of 
dead  sinners ;  according  to  his  expression,  "  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  :  and  they  that 
hear  shall  live."     John  5  -.25. 

From  hence  the  eighth  doctrine  will  be, 

No  man's  will  savingly  and  effectually  ojpens  to  receive 
Christ  until  the  spiritual  and  quickening  voice  of  Christ 
be  heard  by  the  soid. 

Now,  concerning  this  almighty  spiritual  voice  of  Christ, 
by  which  the  hearts  of  simiers  are  effectually  opened,  six 
things  must  be  explained  in  order  :  the  divers  sorts  and 
kinds  of  Christ's  voices  ;  the  general  nature  of  this  internal 
voice  ;  the  innate  characters  and  special  properties  of  it ; 
the  objects  to  whom  it  is  directed ;  the  motives  inducing 
Christ  to  speak  to  one,  and  not  to  another ;  and  the  special 
effects  wrought  and  sealed  by  it  upon  every  soul  that 
hears  it. 

I.  We  will  speak  of  the  divers  sorts  and  kinds  of 
Christ's  voices. 

1 .  There  is  an  external  voice  of  Christ,  which  we  may 
call  his  voice  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  The  Scrip- 
tures are  his  word,  and  ministers  his  mouth.  Jer.  15:19. 
He  that  heareth  them,  heareth  Christ. 

2.  There  is  also  an  internal  voice  of  Christ,  consisting 
not  in  sound,  but  in  power  ;  and  between  these  there  are  two 
remarkable  differences.  First,  the  external  or  ministerial 
voice  of  Christ  is  but  the  organ  or  instrument  of  conveying 
his  internal  and  efficacious  voice  to  the  soul :  in  the  former 
he  speaks  to  the  ear,  and  by  that  sound  conveys  his  spiritual 

Christ    Knocking.  10 


218  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

voice  to  the  heart.  Second,  the  external  voice  is  inefiect- 
ual  when  it  is  not  animated  by  the  internal  spiritual  voice. 
It  was  marvellous  to  see  the  walls  of  Jericho  falling  to  the 
ground  at  the  sound  of  ram's  horns,  Josh.  6  :  20  ;  there 
was  certainly  more  than  the  force  of  an  external  blast  to 
produce  such  an  effect :  but  more  marvellous  it  is,  to  see  at 
the  sound  of  the  gospel  not  only  the  weapons  of  iniquity 
falling  out  of  sinners'  hands,  but  the  very  enmity  itself  out 
of  their  hearts.  Here  you  see  is  a  voice  in  a  voice,  an 
internal  efficacy  in  the  external  sound,  without  which  the 
gospel  makes  no  saving  impression. 

II.  This  spiritual  voice  of  Christ  must  be  considered  in 
ITS  GENERAL  NATURE,  which  implies, 

1.  Ahnighty  efficacy,  to  quicken  and  open  the  heart 
with  a  word.  0  what  manner  of  voice  is  this,  which  car- 
ries such  a  vital  power  with  it !  In  all  the  mighty  works 
of  Christ,  his  power  was  put  forth  in  some  voice,  as  at  the 
resurrection  of  Lazarus.  "  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
Lazarus,  come  forth.  And  he  that  was  dead  came  forth." 
John  1 1  :  43,  44.  So  in  curing  the  deaf  man,  Mark  7  :  34, 
*'  He  saith  unto  him,  Ephphatha,  that  is,  Be  opened ;  and 
straightway  his  ears  were  opened."  Thus,  in  exerting  his 
almighty  power  in  quickening  a  soul  spiritually  dead,  and 
opening  the  heart  locked  up  by  ignorance  and  unbelief,  an 
internal  almighty  efficacy  passes  from  Christ,  along  with 
the  voice  of  the  gospel,  to  effect  this  glorious  work  upon 
the  soul ;  an  emblem  of  which  we  have  in  Ezdk.  37  :  9,  10  : 
*'  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Prophesy  unto  the  wind,  prophesy, 
son  of  man,  and  say  to  the  wind.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God ; 
Come  from  the  four  winds,  0  breath,  and  breathe  upon 
these  slain,  that  they  may  live.  So  I  prophesied  as  he 
commanded  me,  and  the  breath  came  into  them,  and  they 
lived,  and  stood  up  upon  their  feet,  an  exceeding  great 
army."  The  animating  vital  breath  which  quickened  the 
dead  came  with  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  as  this  almighty 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  219 

power  of  Christ  does  with  the  sound  of  the  gospel ;  and 
before  it  the  heart  opens,  and  the  will  bows.  Psalm  110  : 3. 
Man  can  no  longer  oppose  God;  the  power  of  man  can 
repel  that  of  a  fellow-creature,  but  when  the  power  of  Christ 
comes  with  the  voice  of  man,  there  is  no  more  power  to 
resist.  This  voice  of  Christ,  of  which  the  text  speaks,  is 
an  impression  made  on  the  soul  of  a  sinner  from  heaven, 
which  is  to  that  soul  instead  of  a  voice,  and  as  fully  expres- 
sive of  God's  mind  concerning  it  as  any  articulate  voice  can 
be.  It  is  a  beam  of  light  sliining  immediately  from  the 
Spirit  into  the  soul  of  a  sinner,  as  plainly  revealing  both  its 
danger  and  duty  as  if  a  voice  from  heaven  had  declared 
them.  Thus  it  is  said,  Isa.  8:11,  the  Lord  spake  to  Isaiah 
with  a  strong  hand,  that  is,  by  a  mighty  impression  upon 
his  spirit,  which  was  as  a  voice  to  him.  Thus  the  Lord 
not  only  directs  a  suitable  word  to  a  sinner's  condition,  but 
impresses  it  with  such  a  strong  hand  upon  his  heart,  as 
leaves  no  doubt  but  that  it  was  the  Lord  himself  that  spoke 
to  liis  soul.  Tills  is  Christ's  way  of  speaking  by  his  Spirit 
to  the  ear  of  the  soul :  not  by  audible  voices,  which  I  take 
to  be  but  the  imaginings  of  an  overtroubled  fancy,  but  by 
an  efficacious  impression  upon  the  heart.  In  audible  voices 
we  may  sooner  meet  satanical  delusions  than  divine  illu- 
minations. The  learned  Gerson  speaks  of  a  good  man  who, 
being  in  prayer,  seemed  to  hear  such  a  voice  as  this  :  "I 
am  come  in  person  to  visit  thee,  for  thou  art  worthy."  But 
he  justly  suspecting  a  delusion  of  Satan,  shut  his  eyes  and 
said,  "  I  will  not  see  Christ  here,  it  shall  suffice  me  to  see 
him  in  glory."  Christ's  voice  in  the  written  word  is  more 
sure  than  a  voice  from  heaven.  2  Pet,  1:19.  This  spir- 
itual impression  is  Christ's  effectual  call  from  heaven,  and 
is  a  voice  without  sound  or  syllable. 

2.  As  this  voice  of  Christ  implies  almighty  efficacy,  so 
it  implies,  in  like  manner,  the  facility  of  conversion  unto 
Christ :  he  can  do  it  easily  with  a  word  of  his  mouth,  as 


220  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR, 

in  the  bodily  cures  performed  by  him  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh  ;  how  suddenly  and  easily  did  he  effect  them.  "  Speak 
the  word  only,"  said  the  centurion,  "  and  my  servant  shall 
be  healed."  Thus,  let  the  Spirit  but  speak  to  the  dead  soul 
and  it  lives.  Elijah  did  but  cast  his  mantle  on  Ehsha,  as 
he  was  ploughing  in  the  field,  and  he  entreated  the  prophet 
to  give  him  leave  to  go  home  and  bid  his  friends  farewell, 
and  he  would  follow  him.  Thus  it  is  here  :  let  a  beam  of 
saving  light  shine  from  the  Spirit  into  a  man's  heart ;  let 
an  effectual  impression  be  made  upon  his  soul,  and  he  is  at 
once  made  wilHng  to  quit  and  give  up  his  dearest  lusts  and 
interests,  and  to  embrace  Christ  upon  the  terms  of  the  gos- 
pel. Conversion  is  too  difficult  a  work  for  angels  or  men 
to  effect,  but  Christ  can  do  it  with  a  word. 

III.  I  shall  endeavor  to  show  the  special  properties 
of  this  spiritual  voice  of  Christ,  which  must  be  heard,  or 
there  can  be  no  opening  the  door  of  the  heart  to  receive 
him. 

1 .  It  is  a  sec?'et  and  still  voice,  whereby  somewhat  is 
communicated  to  the  soul,  making  a  particular  application 
of  what  is  spoken  to  the  ear,  much  like  that  of  Nathan  to 
David,  "  Thou  art  the  man."  2  Sam.  12:7.  This  still 
voice  sounds  through  the  whole  soul,  yet  none  hear  it  but 
the  soul  concerned  in  it.  It  is  said,  "  The  Lord  had  told 
Samuel  in  his  ear,  a  day  before,"  1  Sam.  9:15,  that  is,  he 
whispered  the  secret  into  the  prophet's  mind.  So  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  whispers  a  word  into  the  ear  of  a  sinner,  which 
makes  his  heart  tremble,  after  this  manner :  "  This  is  thy 
very  condition ;  this  is  thy  sin,  which  is  now  opened  by  the 
gospel  in  thine  ears."  This  is  a  voice  without  sound  to 
others,  but  very  intelligible  to  the  soul  to  whom  it  is  spoken. 
You  read  in  1  Kings,  19  :  11,  12,  that  when  Elijah  stood 
upon  the  mount  before  the  Lord,  "  a  great  and  strong  wind 
rent  the  mountains,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  rocks  before  the 
Lord ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  wind  :  and  after  the 


HIS  VOICE   HEARD.  221 

wind  an  earthquake ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  m  the  earth- 
quake :  and  after  the  earthquake  a  fire ;  but  the  Lord  was 
not  in  the  fire  :  and  after  the  fire  a  still  small  voice.  And 
it  was  so,  when  !EHjah  heard  it,  that  he  wrapped  his  face 
in  his  mantle."  So  it  is  here :  dreadful  things  are  thun- 
dered against  men  by  the  voice  of  the  law ;  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord  are  made  known,  hell  is  set  before  the  eyes  of  sin- 
ners ;  but  until  the  Lord  come  in  the  still  voice  of  his  Spirit, 
and  apply  these  things  to  the  conscience,  the  sinner  never 
covers  his  face  with  shame  and  confusion,  nor  goes  aside  to 
mourn  and  lament  his  misery.  This  voice  of  God  sounds 
to  the  very  centre  of  the  soul.  As  for  the  outward  voice  of 
the  gospel  alone,  it  signifies  little ;  in  hearing,  men  hear  not. 
Matt.  13  :  13.  They  hear  the  voice  of  man,  but  not  the 
voice  of  God ;  they  hear  the  sound,  but  feel  not  the  power 
of  the  word.  What  is  spoken  externally  dies  in  the  ear  that 
hears  it,  but  this  still  voice  of  the  Spirit  makes  its  way  to 
the  heart,  and  none  knows  what  God  speaks  but  the  soul 
itself. 

2.  The  spiritual  voice  of  Christ  is  'personal,  speaking 
distinctly  and  particularly  to  the  state  of  the  soul,  as  if  by 
name.  Ministers  must  speak  in  general ;  they  draw  the 
bow  of  the  gospel  at  a  venture,  not  knowing  to  whom  God 
will  direct  the  arrow  ;  but  the  Spirit  guides  it  to  the  mark. 
He  apphes  truth  to  particular  persons,  so  that  the  soul  to 
whom  he  directs  it  is  fully  convinced  that  the  Lord  intends 
and  means  him,  in  such  a  threatening  expression.  Oh,  says 
the  soul,  has  the  Lord  singled  me  out  in  particular  ?  this  is  my 
very  case.  You  read  that  Christ  calleth  his  sheep  by  name. 
John  10:3.  How  does  he  do  this,  but  by  speaking  directly 
and  particularly  to  their  condition,  as  if  he  called  them  by 
their  particular  names  ?  He  does  not  now  in  an  extraordinary 
way,  as  of  old,  call,  "  Samuel,  Samuel,"  or,  "  Saul,  Saul,"  but 
he  sends  a  beam  of  convincing  light  into  the  conscience, 
plainly  showing  tliis  or  that  to  be  our  sin,  danger,  or  duty ; 


222  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE. 

and  as  to  the  effect,  it  is  all  one  as  if  God  named  him.  And 
truly,  until  it  comes  to  this  tlje  word  has  no  saving  operation 
upon  the  soul.  A  man  may  hear  ten  thousand  general  truths 
and  assent  to  them,  and  yet  be  no  better  for  them.  How 
quiet  was  David's  conscience,  until  Nathan  struck  the  nail 
upon  the  head  by  a  home  personal  application,  and  then  his 
conscience  startled.  Thus  God  singles  out  one  from  a 
thousand  in  the  congregation,  speaks  to  the  heart,  and  dis- 
turbs the  secure  conscience  :  the  rest  hear  the  same  words, 
but  feel  not  the  same  efficacy.  And  truly  it  is  a  choice 
mercy  when  God  pleases  thus  to  single  out  one  person  after 
this  manner,  to  speak  to  his  heart.  As  Christ  said,  in  Luke 
4  :  25,  26,  many  widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  days  of  Elias, 
but  to  none  of  them  was  Elias  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a 
city  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that  was  a  widow.  So  here, 
multitudes  sat  with  you  under  the  same  prayer  or  sermon, 
but  to  none  of  them,  at  that  time,  was  the  Spirit  sent  to 
make  a  particular  application  thereof,  but  to  thee.  In  this 
the  peculiar  goodness  of  God  shines  out,  and  should  for  ever 
be  admired  by  that  soul. 

3.  This  spiritual  voice  of  Christ  is  distill guishable  by 
the  soul  that  hears  it  from  all  other  voices.  The  sheep 
know  his  voice.  John  10  :  4.  As  in  the  style  of  the  Scrip- 
tures there  is  a  weight  and  majesty  which  distinguish  them 
from  all  human  compositions,  so  in  this  voice  of  Christ  there 
is  a  peculiar  efficacy,  a  divine  authority,  by  which  the  soul 
distinguishes  it  from  all  human  voices.  It  was  said  of  Christ 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  "  Never  man  spake  like  this  man." 
John  7  :  46.  The  same  may  be  said  of  his  spiritual  voice : 
the  soul  never  heard  such  a  voice  before  ;  it  seals  the  truth 
upon  the  heart  so  firmly  that  no  objections  are  left  against 
it. 

There  are  two  things  in  this  inward  voice  of  Christ, 
which  distinguish  it  from  all  human  voices.  First,  a  mar- 
vellous light  comes  into  the  soul  with  it,  which  discovers 


HIS  VOICE   HEAED.  223 

all  the  secrets  of  the  heart.  God  shines  into  the  heart  at 
the  same  time  he  speaks  to  it,  2  Cor.  4:6;  and  now  the 
secrets  of  the  heart  are  manifest,  and  God  is  acknowledged 
to  be  in  the  word  of  truth.  1  Cor.  14  :  25.  Second,  a  mar- 
vellous power  accompanies  this  voice,  to  make  a  deep  and 
firm  impression  of  what  is  spoken  on  the  soul ;  and  this 
power  is  a  character  of  the  voice  of  God,  whereby  the  soul 
receives  it  as  his,  with  much  assurance,  as  the  apostle  speaks 
in  1  Thess.  1:5:  "  Our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word 
only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much 
assurance."  They  could  not  be  more  certain  of  any  thing, 
than  they  were  that  it  was  the  Lord  who  spoke  to  them  in 
that  word.  It  is  true,  at  the  first  instant  the  soul  may  be 
amazed  and  at  a  loss,  as  Peter,  when  he  was  delivered  out 
of  prison,  thought  at  first  he  had  seen  a  vision ;  but  when 
he  was  come  to  himself,  he  said,  "  Now,  I  know  of  a  surety 
that  the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  delivered  me." 
Acts  12  :  11.  Tlius  it  is  with  the  soul :  it  is  amazed,  and 
doubts  what  manner  of  call  or  power  this  is ;  it  never  heard 
such  a  voice,  nor  felt  any  thing  like  this  before.  But  the 
matter  is  quickly  cleared  up  when  the  soul  has  reflected 
upon  it,  and  finds  such  a  wonderful  change  of  the  temper 
of  the  heart  following  upon  it.  I  now  speak  not  of  those 
into  whom  grace  is  distilled  in  the  way  of  godly  education 
in  their  tender  years,  but  of  adult  persons,  and  especially 
such  as  have  been  gross  sinners. 

4.  This  spiritual  voice  of  Christ  is  a  &urprisi7ig  voice, 
altogether  unexpected  by  the  soul  that  hears  it :  "I  am 
found  of  them  that  sought  me  not."  Isa.  65:1.  Little  do  we 
foresee  the  designs  God  has  in  bringing  us  to  such  a  place, 
and  under  such  a  sermon,  at  such  a  time  ;  even  as  little  as 
Saul  thought  of  a  kingdom  when  he  was  seeking  his  father's 
asses.  It  is  much  with  us  as  it  was  with  the  apostles  when 
Christ  called  them :  httle  did  Matthew  think  when  he  sat 
at  the  receipt  of  customs,  or  Saul  when  hastmg  to  Damas- 


224  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 

cus  upon  the  devil's  errand,  that  Christ  and  salvation  were 
so  near  them.  Some  have  come  to  deride  the  messengers 
and  truths  of  God ;  others  to  gratify  their  curiosity ;  and 
many  not  knowing  where  else,  with  peace  or  reputation,  to 
spend  that  hour.  But  God's  thoughts  were  not  theirs  ;  the 
time  of  mercy  was  now  come,  and  whatever  sinful  ends 
brought  them  thither,  the  Lord's  design  was  then  and  there 
to  manifest  himself  to  them.  It  is  with  such  souls,  in  some 
respects,  as  it  was  with  the  spouse,  Sol.  Song,  6  :  12:  "Or 
ever  I  was  aware,  my  soul  made  me  like  the  chariots  of 
Ammi-nadib."  I  went  to  the  congregation  for  company  ;  I 
was  sitting  under  the  word  with  a  careless  wandering  heart, 
as  at  other  times ;  when  lo,  an  arrow  of  conviction  was 
suddenly  shot  into  my  conscience,  which  so  wounded  and 
disquieted  it,  that  it  is  now  beyond  the  power  of  any  but 
Christ  to  settle  and  satisfy  it. 

5.  This  spiritual  internal  voice  of  Christ  is  energetical ; 
mighty  in  power,  piercing  the  heart,  cleaving,  as  it  were, 
the  very  reins ;  full  of  efficacy  to  the  soul  that  hears  it. 
The  power  of  God  comes  along  with  his  voice.  "  The  word 
of  God  is  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two- 
edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul 
and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow."     Heb.  4:12. 

Now  this  efficacy  is  not  inherent  in  the  word  itself,  or 
all  would  feel  this  power  who  come  within  the  sound  of  it. 
No,  this  comes  from  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  speakmg  in  it  to 
the  sinner's  conscience ;  when  it  is  the  administration  of 
the  Spirit,  it  becomes  efficacious.  You  read,  in  Psalm 
29 : 4-9,  of  the  wonderful  efficacy  of  God's  voice  :  The 
voice  of  the  Lord  is  powerful ;  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  full 
of  majesty ;  it  breaketh  the  cedars,  divideth  the  flames  of 
fire,  shaketh  the  wilderness,  maketh  the  hinds  to  calve. 
This  the  providential  voice  of  God,  in  the  winds,  thunders, 
and  lightnings,  can  do  ;  but  what  is  this  to  the  efficacy  of 
his  spiritual  voice  ?     What  is  the  breaking  of  the  cedars  of 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  225 

Lebanon  to  the  breaking  of  the  heart  of  a  sinner  ?  What  is 
the  shaking  of  the  trees  in  the  wilderness  to  the  fears  of 
wrath  to  come,  which  shake  the  souls  of  convinced  sinners, 
and  make  their  hearts  tremble?  Acts  16:29.  What  is 
the  dividing  of  flames  of  fire,  to  the  dividing  a  soul  from  its 
beloved  lusts  ?  "  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  car- 
nal, but  mighty  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong 
holds,  casting  down  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that 
exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing 
into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ." 
2  Cor.  10  :  4,  5.  Here  are  the  glorious  effects  of  this  voice, 
which  plainly  show  from  whom  it  comes.  The  voice  of 
God  is  no  less  to  be  admired  in  its  effects  in  the  new  crea- 
tion, than  in  the  first  creation,  with  Avhich  the  apostle  com- 
pares it.  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts."  2  Cor.  4:6.  It  was 
marvellous  to  see,  at  the  word  of  Christ,  Lazarus,  who  was 
dead  in  his  grave,  come  forth  bound  in  his  grave-clothes, 
John  11  :  44  ;  and  no  less  to  see  a  soul  dead  in  sin,  at  a  word 
of  Christ,  come  forth  with  spiritual  life.  "The  dead  shall 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live."     John  5:25. 

6.  This  spiritual  voice  of  Christ  is  convictive  to  the 
conscience  of  a  sinner,  so  that  it  puts  a  final  end  to  all 
evasions.  While  man  only  spoke,  the  soul  had  a  thousand 
means  to  evade  what  was  spoken  ;  but  now  all  debates 
are  at  an  end — no  more  subterfuges  and  cunning  evasions 
now.  The  Spirit,  when  he  cometh,  shall  convince  the 
world  of  sin.  John  16:8.  The  word  signifies  to  convince 
by  demonstration,  and  to  show  that  a  thing  cannot  possibly 
be  otherwise  than  we  represent  it  to  be.  Formerly,  when 
the  terrors  of  God  were  threatened  against  sin,  the  heart 
was  wont  to  say,  This  concerns  me  no  more  than  another ; 
if  it  go  ill  with  me,  it  will  go  ill  with  thousands  as  well  as 
me.  It  is  true,  this  is  my  evil ;  and  who  is  without  sin  ?  I 
10^ 


226  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE  DOOR. 

have  some  evils  in  me,  but  I  have  some  good  too.  But  no 
sooner  does  the  Spirit  speak  conviction  to  the  conscience, 
than  all  these  pleas  are  dismissed.  It  may  be,  the  state  of 
the  sinner's  soul  was  doubtful  to  him  before  ;  but  it  is  not 
so  now.  It  had  some  fears  of  hell,  but  they  were  balanced 
with  some  vain  hopes  of  heaven ;  but  now  the  great  ques- 
tion is  determined.  Whatever  I  am  or  have,  whatever 
duties  I  have  done,  and  whatever  sins  I  have  avoided,  I  see 
I  am  not  regenerated,  I  am  in  my  natural,  Christless  state  ; 
and  except  I  am  changed,  I  must  be  lost.  This  was  the 
efiect  of  Christ's  voice  to  Paul :  "  I  was  alive  without  the 
law  once ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived, 
and  I  died."  Rom.  7  :  9.  He  had  read  the  law  many  a 
time,  and  had  the  literal  knowledge  of  it ;  but  his  vain 
hopes  lived  and  flourished,  until  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
law  came  home  to  his  heart  by  the  voice  of  the  Spirit,  and 
then  his  vain  hopes  died,  and  his  guilt  stared  in  the  face  of 
his  conscience. 

7.  The  voice  of  Christ  is  generally  conveyed  to  the  souls 
of  men  through  the  tvorcl  preached,  which  is  the  chosen 
instrument  of  its  conveyance.  We  cannot  affirm  that  Christ 
always  speaks  to  men  in  this  way  ;  but  certainly  this  is  his 
ordinary  course:  "Our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word 
only,  but  also  in  power  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Thess. 
1:5.  Our  gospel,  because  preached  by  us  ;  but  had  that 
been  all,  it  had  come  to  you  in  word  only,  as  it  does  to  many 
thousands  of  others,  who  feel  nothing  in  it  more  than  what 
is  human.  But  unto  you  it  came  in  power  and  in  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  that  is,  our  words  were  the  vehicle  through  which 
the  vital  power  of  the  Spirit  was  conveyed  into  your  souls. 
Providences  have  their  voice  as  well  as  the  word  ;  and  some- 
times the  voice  of  Christ  has  accompanied  the  voice  of  provi- 
dence, to  the  conversion  of  men's  souls  ;  but  this  is  unusual. 
The  established  way  of  Christ's  speaking  to  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners is  by  the  word,  and  especially  the  word  preached,  which 


HIS  VOICE   HEAHD.  227 

on  that  account  is  called  "the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion." Rom.  1  :  16,  This  instrument  the  Lord  generally  hon- 
ors for  the  conveyance  of  spiritual  life  into  the  souls  of  men, 
though  it  is  despised  and  contemned  in  the  world.  "  The  . 
preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish,  foolishness ;  / 
but  unto  us  which  are  saved,  it  is  the  power  of  God," 
1  Cor.  1:18;  that  is,  the  instrument  by  which  the  saving 
power  of  God  communicates  itself  to  the  souls  of  men.  And 
although  God  may  exert  his  saving  power  through  provi- 
dences, we  seldom  find  he  does  so  where  the  word  may  be 
had,  but  is  neglected.  Herein  God  consults  our  peace  and 
satisfaction  ;  for  if  he  should  make  use  of  another  medium, 
as  a  voice  from  heaven,  and  after  calling,  which  is  an  usual 
case,  the  called  soul  should  question.  How  do  I  know  but  all 
this  may  be  a  delusion  ?  may  not  Satan  impose  upon  mor- 
tals, and  this  voice  be  a  counterfeit  ?  my  eternal  estate 
depends  upon  it,  and  I  need  to  be  sure  it  was  the  voice  of 
God  himself:  in  such  a  case,  it  would  be  hard  to  give  such 
distinguishing  characters  as  might  be  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  soul.  But  when  God  makes  the  word  his  instrument 
in  this  matter,  it  yields  abundantly  more  satisfaction.  We 
have  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,  surer  than  a  voice  from 
heaven.  2  Pet.  1:19.  And  though  Paul  was  converted  by 
a  voice  from  heaven,  yet  the  Lord  sends  him  to  Ananias, 
who  should  preach  the  gospel  to  him.  Acts  9  :  17.  The 
Lord  will  honor  his  word.  Providence  may  prepare  the 
heart,  but  the  word  is  the  instrument  by  which  the  Lord 
ordinarily  puts  forth  his  power  to  salvation. 

8.  The  voice  of  Christ  leaves  abidi?ig  effects  on  the  soul 
that  hears  it.  The  words  of  men  are  scattered  to  the  wind, 
but  the  effects  of  Christ's  voice  are  durable  :  "I  will  never 
forget  thy  precepts ;  for  with  them  thou  hast  quickened 
me."  Psa.  119  :  93.  How  many  hundred  sermons  have 
we  heard,  and  all  vanished  away  as  a  dream  I  Oh,  but  if 
ever  thou  heardst  Christ  speaking  to  thy  heart  in  any  ser- 


228  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt   AT   THE   DOOR. 

mon  or  prayer,  that  will  remain  with  thee  for  ever.  His 
words  are  sealed  upon  the  soul  for  ever  ;  they  are  written  in. 
the  heart.  Jer.  31  :  33.  What  Joh  wished  concerning  his 
w^ord,  is  really  performed  in  the  w^ords  of  Christ  :  *'  They 
are  written  as  in  the  rock  for  ever."  Job  19  :  23.  We 
have  slippery  memories,  but  the  weakest  memory  must 
retain  the  words  c^  Christ,  spoken  to  the  heart  by  his  Spirit ; 
for  "  He  openeth  the  ears  of  men,  and  sealeth  their  instruc- 
tion."    Job  33  :  16. 

IV.  I  shall  next  speak  of  the  person  to  whom  Christ 
ORDINARILY  DIRECTS  his  efficacious  and  saving  voice.  And 
though  it  be  true  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  a  free  agent, 
and  calls  whom  he  will,  according  to  John  3:8,  "  The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth  ;"  and  it  is  true,  in  fact, 
that  Christ  has  made  some  of  all  ranks  of  men  to  hear  his 
voice  ;  it  is  seldom  that  he  directs  this  saving  voice  to  the 
great  and  wise  of  this  world  :  "Ye  see  your  calUng,  breth- 
ren, how  that  not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many 
mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called."  1  Cor.  1  :  26.  He 
saith  not  any,  but  many.  Christ  does  call  some,  "  lest,"  as 
one  says,  "the  world  should  think  that  Christians  were 
deceived  through  their  simplicity  and  weakness."  One  rich 
Joseph  of  Arimathea ;  one  honorable  Nicodemus,  but  not 
many.  Men  of  the  greatest  renown  in  the  world  have  been 
the  fiercest  enemies  against  Christ :  Galen,  the  chief  physi- 
cian; Porphyry,  the  chief  Aristotelian;  Plotinus,  the  chief 
Platonist ;  Libanius  and  Lucian,  the  chief  orators,  were 
all  professed  enemies  of  Christ.  Two  things  make  a  man 
great  in  the  eyes  of  the  world :  the  external  endowments  of 
Providence,  heaping  riches  and  honors  upon  him ;  and 
endowments  of  the  mind,  as  strong  reason,  sharpness  of  wit, 
etc.  When  both  these  meet  in  the  same  person,  they  make 
him  great  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  usually  in  his  own  ; 
yea,  too  great  to  stoop  to  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  and  its 
humbling,    self-denying   terms.      These    the    Lord    usually 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  229 

passes  by,  and  directs  his  voice  to  the  poor ;  the  poor 
receive  the  gospel ;  God  hath  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world 
rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom.  James  2  :  5.  And 
this  choice  of  God  Christ  blesses  him  for  :  "  I  thank  thee, 
0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them  unto  babes  ;  even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight."  Matt.  11  :  25,  26.  And  indeed,  the  wisdom  of 
God  deserves  our  admiration  in  this  dispensation  :    For 

1.  Hereby  the  freeness  of  his  grace  is  vindicated. 
None  can  pretend  that  any  earthly  excellence  commends  any 
man  to  God,  or  that  the  favor  of  heaven  is  secured  by  the 
same  means  that  the  respects  of  the  world  are.  For  you 
see  the  truth  of  that  scripture  before  your  eyes.  Job  34  :  19  : 
He  "  accepteth  not  the  persons  of  princes,  nor  regardeth  the 
rich  more  than  the  poor;  for  they  are  all  the  work  of  his 
hands."  Eartlily  riches  and  honors,  empty  as  they  are,  are 
yet  much  idolized  by  men :  what  would  they  be,  could  they 
procure  our  favor  and  acceptance  with  the  Lord  ? 

2.  By  such  a  choice  as  this,  the  Lord  plainly  shows  that 
religion  needs  not  ivorldly  props  to  support  it.  As  at  first 
it  was  spread,  by  the  power  of  God  in  the  world,  by  poor  and 
despised  men,  so  it  is  still  upheld  without  human  policy  or 
riches.  The  church  is  called  the  congregation  of  the  poor. 
Psa.  74  :  19.  The  Lord  will  have  us  know,  that  he  is  able 
to  maintain  and  carry  on  his  counsels  in  the  world  without 
the  wealth  of  rich  men,  the  authority  of  great  men,  or  the 
policies  of  wise  men  ;  he  needs  them  not. 

3.  By  this  choice  he  pours  contempt  upon  the  things 
tnost  admired  among  men.  So  he  tells  us:  "God  hath 
chosen  the  foolish  thmgs  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise  ; 
and  God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to  con- 
found the  things  which  are  mighty."  1  Cor.  1  :  27.  And 
certainly,  shame  and  confusion  of  face  will  cover  the  great 
ones  of  this  world,  when  they  shall  see  the  poor  Christians 


230  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

whom  they  scorned  on  earth,  as  not  worthy  to  come  into 
their  presence,  so  infinitely  preferred  before  them  in  the 
favor  of  God.  In  a  word,  this  efficacious  spiritual  voice 
of  Christ  is  directed  but  to  a  few,  even  of  the  many  that 
sit  within  the  call  of  the  gospel :  "Many  are  called,  but  few 
are  chosen."  Matt.  22  :  14.  Christ's  flock  is  a  little  flock. 
There  are  many  birds  of  prey  to  one  bird  of  paradise — 
many  common  pebbles  to  one  sapphire  or  diamond.  It  is 
not  for  us  to  dispute  as  to  the  reason,  but  to  adore  the  sove- 
reignty of  God  in  this  matter.  And  of  those  few  whom  he 
calls,  the  greatest  part  is  of  the  humbler  classes  of  men. 
The  glitter  and  dazzle  of  this  Avorld  blind  the  eyes  of  the 
greatest ;  extremity  of  want  diverts  the  mind  of  the  lowest ; 
but  between  these  two  extremes  there  is  a  third  sort  of 
persons  whom  the  Lord  most  usually  calls. 

V.  If  it  be  inquired  why  the  voice  and  call  of  Christ 

SHOULD  BE  DIRECTED  TO  THIS  PERSON  RATHER  THAN  TO  THAT, 

certainly  it  is  not  from  any  excellence  that  Christ  sees  in 
one  rather  than  another ;  for  all  are  shut  up  under  the  com- 
mon sin  and  misery  of  the  fall ;  and  therefore  the  apostle 
told  the  Ephesians,  Avho  had  heard  and  answered  the  voice 
of  Christ,  that  they  "  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others."  Eph.  2  :  3.  If  it  were  not  so,  man  would 
have  something  to  glory  in  before  God ;  but  Christ  resolves 
this  whole  dispensation  into  its  proper  cause,  the  good  pleas- 
ure of  the  divine  will:  "Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight."  Matt.  11  :  26.  This  good  pleasure  of 
the  will  of  God  sometimes  causes  those  to  hear  the  voice 
of  his  Son  who  seem  to  stand  at  a  far  greater  distance  and 
improbability  to  hear  it  than  others  do.  It  is  said  of  the 
Ephesians,  that  they  were  far  ofl^,  Eph.  2:13;  yet  they 
heard  the  voice  of  Christ  when  that  discreet  scribe  who 
was  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  Mark  12  :  34,  and 
Agrippa,  who  was  almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian, 
Acts  26  :  28,  never  heard  it ;  therefore  it  is  said,   "  Many 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  231 

shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with 
Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
but  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  out  into  outer 
darkness."  Matt.  8:11,  12.  0  marvellous  dispensation! 
many  a  soul  under  the  greatest  disadvantages,  a  poor  servant 
who  has  but  little  time  and  many  incumbrances,  is  called 
effectually  by  this  voice  of  Christ;  when  those  who  enjoy 
multitudes  of  opportunities,  and  have  abundance  of  time  on 
their  hands  which  they  know  not  what  to  do  with,  and  who 
have  the  choicest  books  at  command,  amidst  all  these  ad- 
vantages hear  and  feel  nothing  to  any  purpose  :  all  this  is  to 
be  resolved  into  the  good  pleasure  of  the  will  of  God. 

VI.  Let  us  now  view  the  effects  of  this  voice  of 
Christ  upon  the  souls  of  men,  and  we  shall  find  divers 
remarkable  effects  wrought  upon  the  heart  by  it. 

1.  The  first  effect  of  the  voice  of  Christ  is  conviction 
on  the  conscience — conviction  both  of  sin  and  misery.  John 
16:8.  The  Spirit  when  he  cometh  shall  convince  the 
world  of  sin.  This  is  a  voice  of  terror,  and  strikes  dead  the 
vain  hopes  of  a  sinner.  Horn.  7:9.  The  soul  that  was 
before  secure  becomes  the  seat  of  anxiety.  There  was  a 
general  conviction  of  sin  before  ;  he  knew  that  all  are  sin- 
ners, he  denied  not  that.  But  alas,  this  general  convic- 
tion is  quite  another  thing  from  what  the  soul  feels  now ; 
now  it  can  waive  the  matter  no  longer.  This  voice  of 
Christ  "  showeth  them  their  work  and  their  trangressions, 
that  they  have  exceeded,"  Job  36  :  9 — exceeded  in  number, 
and  exceeded  in  heinousness  of  aggravation.  A  general 
conviction  of  sin  affects  a  man  no  more  than  the  sight  of  a 
painted  lion  on  a  sign-post ;  but  when  a  particular  convic- 
tion is  set  home  on  the  conscience  by  this  special  voice  of 
Christ,  sin  is  like  a  living  hon,  meeting  a  man  in  the  way 
and  roaring  dreadfully  upon  him.  This  first  effect  of  Christ's 
voice  is  introductory  to, 

2.  Humiliation  and  contrition  of  heart  for  sin.     Those 


232  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 

threats  of  Scripture  against  sin  and  sinners  which  were 
wont  to  be  shghted,  are  now  trembled  at ;  those  Jews  to 
whose  hearts  Christ  spoke  in  Peter's  sermon,  as  soon  as  they 
heard  his  voice  sounding  conviction  in  their  consciences, 
were  pricked  at  the  heart,  Acts  2  :  37  :  no  sword  can  make 
such  a  wound,  and  put  a  man  into  such  pain,  as  a  sight  of 
sin  will  ;  therefore  they  are  said  to  mourn  for  Christ  as  for  an 
only  son.  Zech.  12  :  10.  Now  this  is  the  glorious  prerog- 
ative of  Jesus  Christ,  to  reach  and  wound  the  heart  with  a 
word.  The  voice  of  man  cannot  do  it ;  but  the  spirit  of  a 
man  lies  open  both  to  be  wounded  and  healed  by  a  word 
from  the  mouth  of  Christ.  No  sooner  has  a  sinner  heard 
the  awful  voice  of  conviction  spoken  to  his  conscience  by  the 
Lord  Jesus,  but  he  feels  himself  sick  at  heart ;  he  goes  home 
from  that  sermon  by  which  Christ  spoke  effectual  conviction 
to  him,  crying.  My  soul  is  distressed  because  of  sin.  There 
is  a  great  difference  in  the  degrees  of  this  contrition  and 
humiliation  ;  it  penetrates  deeper  into  some  hearts  than 
others,  and  holds  them  longer  under  it  ;  but  whoever  has 
heard  the  convincing  voice  of  Christ,  feels  so  much  sorrow 
for  sin  as  for  ever  separates  him  from  the  love  of  it. 

3.  This  voice  of  Christ  aivakeiis,  the  careless  mind  to 
solicitude  for  deliverance  from  the  danger  that  hangs  over 
it.  Trembling  and  astonished,  the  jailer  cried  out,  "  Sirs, 
what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Acts  16  :  29,  30.  Ail  the 
powers  of  the  soul  are  engaged  for  deliverance.  You  gener- 
ally observe,  in  convinced  and  humbled  sinners,  three  signs 
of  extraordinary  solicitude  about  salvation.  First,  there  is 
a  strong  intentness  of  their  minds  and  thoughts,  they  stand 
night  and  day  like  a  bow  at  its  full  bent;  their  thoughts 
are  ever  poring  upon  this  matter,  their  sleep  departs,  for  their 
sin  and  danger  are  ever  before  them.  Second,  it  appears  by 
their  searching  inquisitiveness  about  the  way  of  escape  ;  the 
question  they  carry  with  them  wherever  they  meet  with 
any  whom  they  judge  able  to  direct  them  is.  What   course 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  233 

shall  I  take  ?  "What  shall  I  do  ?  Is  there  any  hope  for 
such  a  one  as  I  ?  Did  you  ever  know  a  soul  in  my  condi- 
tion ?  Third,  it  appears  by  the  little  notice  they  take  of 
their  outward  afflictions,  which,  it  may  be,  are  strong  and 
sharp  enough  to  overwhelm  them  at  another  time  ;  but 
now  they  take  little  notice  of  them.  Sin  lies  so  heavy 
that  it  makes  heavy  afflictions  lie  light. 

4.  A  fourth  effect  of  the  voice  of  Christ  is  encourage- 
onent  and  hope,  putting  the  soul  on  the  use  of  means  in 
order  to  the  attainment  of  Christ  and  salvation ;  for  it  is  an 
inviting  as  well  as  a  convicting  voice  :  and  this  is  a  remark- 
able difference  between  the  voice  of  Christ  and  the  voice  of 
Satan,  with  respect  to  sm.  Satan  labors  to  cut  off  all  hope 
and  strike  the  soul  dead  under  despair  of  mercy  ;  well 
knowing,  that  if  he  can  cut  off  hope,  all  endeavors  of  the 
soul  after  Christ  are  effectually  stopped.  But  how  much 
terror  soever  there  may  be  in  the  voice  of  Christ,  there  is 
always  something  left  behind  it  on  the  heart  to  breed  and 
support  hope.  And  truly  the  soul,  amidst  these  sad  circum- 
stances, has  great  need  of  some  encouragement ;  but  the 
Lord  usually,  after  sharp  convictions,  sets  home  upon  the 
soul  such  a  word  as  this :  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out :  for  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to 
do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  John 
6  :  37,  38.  Here  Christ  offers  the  most  rational  satisfac- 
tion, and  greatest  encouragement  that  a  convinced  sinner,  if 
he  be  willing,  shall  certainly  find  a  hearty  welcome  with 
Christ.  For  mark  how  he  argues  it  on  purpose  for  the  sat- 
isfaction of  such  souls  :  "  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to 
do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  The 
force  of  the  encouragement  lies  here,  "  I  and  my  Father  are 
one,"  John  10  :  30 — one  in  will  and  one  in  design ;  our  wills 
never  can  jar  one  with  the  other,  on  account  of  the  perfect 
unity  that  is  between  us.  Now,  saith  he,  I  came  down  from 
heaven,  not  only  to  do  mine  own  will,  which  must  necessarily 


234  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOR. 

be  supposed  to  be  strongly  inclined  to  receive  and  save  all 
convinced  and  willing  sinners,,  this  being  the  very  end  of 
my  incarnation  and  death,  but  also  to  do  the  will  of  my 
Father,  who  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted 
and  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  meek.  Isa. 
61  :  1.  And  therefore  no  such  soul  can  rationally  doubt 
of  a  welcome  reception  with  me.  And  because  the  fears 
of  a  convinced  conscience  are  great  and  many,  and  Satan 
seeks  to  aggravate  them  beyond  the  hope  of  mercy,  it  is 
usual  with  the  Lord  to  direct  the  trembling  sinner  to  such 
a  scripture  as  that  in  Heb.  7  :  25,  "Wherefore  he  is  able 
also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by 
him  ;"  making  the  fulness  of  Christ's  saving  power  shine 
with  a  cheerful  beam  into  the  dark  and  distressed  soul  of  a 
sinner,  from  such  a  word  as  that. 

5.  A  fifth  effect  of  Christ's  powerful  voice  is  an  attrac- 
tive efficacij  or  sweet  alluring  of  the  soul  to  Christ  by  that 
power  which  it  communicates  to  the  soul.  "  No  man  can 
come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw 
him."  "  Every  man,  therefore,  that  hath  heard  and  hath 
learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me."  John  6  :  44,  45. 
Mark  it,  this  voice  speedily  puts  the  soul  into  motion  after 
Christ ;  coming  follows  hearing  :  when  once  tlie  soul  has 
heard  the  voice  of  God,  away  it  comes  from  all  sinful  en- 
gagements in  the  world ;  all  ties  between  the  soul  and  sin 
break  asunder  and  give  way  ;  nothing  can  hold  it  from 
Christ.  There  is  a  strange  restlessness  in  the  spirit  of  man, 
and  none  but  Christ  can  quiet  it. 

6.  And  then  the  effect  of  Christ's  voice  is  rest  and  con- 
solation to  the  inner  man.  When  once  the  soul  is  come 
home  to  Christ  by  the  efficacy  of  his  heavenly  call  or  voice, 
it  enters  into  peace.  "  We  which  have  believed,  do  enter 
into  rest,"  Heb.  4  :  3 — not  only  shall,  but  do  enter  into  rest. 
As  the  first  effect  of  Christ's  voice  was  terror  to  the  soul,  so 
the  last  effect  is  peace  ;  it  puts  the  'soul  into  the  most  excel- 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  235 

lent  position  for  comfort  and  joy  ;  it  never  stood  upon  such 
ground  before  ;  for  this  vocation  stands  between  predestina- 
tion and  glorification  :  "  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predesti- 
nate, them  he  also  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he 
also  justified ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glori- 
fied." Rom.  8  :  30.  See  here  into  what  a  blessed  mount 
of  vision  the  voice  of  Christ  calls  the  souls  of  sinners. 
Let  the  soul  look  backward  or  forward  from  eternity  to 
eternity,  there  is  nothing  but  a  vision  of  peace  before  its 
eyes.  This  call  of  God  points  backward  to  God's  eternal 
choice,  which  by  this  very  call  it  is  now  manifest  he  made 
of  that  soul  before  the  world  was  ;  and  it  points  forward  to 
that  eternal  glory  unto  which  God  is  leading  it.  These  are 
the  effects  of  this  almighty  voice  of  Christ,  and  these  the 
special  instructions  sealed  by  it  upon  the  hearts  of  men. 

But  this  voice  of  Christ  is  not  heard  at  all  times,  but  in 
some  special  hour — as  Christ  calls  it,  "  The  hour  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God."  John  5  :  25. 
And  elsewhere,  by  the  apostle,  it  is  called  th^  accepted 
time,  the  day  of  salvation.  2  Cor.  6  :  2.  The  conjunction 
of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  with  the  word,  ordinances,  or  provi- 
dences of  God,  but  especially  the  word,  makes  this  blessed 
hour.  The  word  alone,  though  never  so  well  preached, 
conduces  no  more  to  the  conviction  and  salvation  of  a  sinner, 
than  the  waters  of  Bethesda  did  to  healing  when  the  angel 
came  not  down  to  trouble  them.  John  5  :  4.  But  when  the 
Lord  pours  out  his  Spirit  with  the  word,  according  to  the 
promise,  "  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make 
known  my  words  unto  you,"  Prov.  1  :  23,  then  Christ  speaks 
to  the  heart ;  this  great  conjunction  of  the  word  and  Spirit 
makes  that  blessed  season  of  salvation  the  time  of  love  and 
of  life.  Now  the  voice  of  Christ  is  heard  with  effect,  and 
the  ordinances  have  a  convincing  and  converting  efficacy. 
There  was  an  abundant  effusion  of  the  Spirit  in  the  first 
age  of  Christianity,  and  then  the  voice  of  Christ  was  heard 


236  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT  THE    DOOR. 

by  multitufles  of  souls  at  once.  There  has  since  been  a 
restraint  of  the  Spirit,  comparatively  speaking ;  whereas 
three  thousand  souls  were  then  converted  at  one  sermon, 
possibly  three  thousand  sermons  have  since  been  preached, 
and  not  one  soul  effectually  called.  This  has  made  the 
church  like  a  wilderness,  a  land  of  drought ;  and  so  it  is 
likely  to  remain,  "  until  the  Spirit  be  poured  upon  us  from 
on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field,"  according 
to  the  promise,  Isa.  32  :  15.  And  such  a  time  we  expect ; 
Lord,  hasten  it,  when  the  waters  of  the  ordinances  shall  be 
healed,  and  "  every  thing  that  liveth.  which  moveth  whither- 
soever the  river  shall  come,  shall  live.  And  fishers  shall 
stand  upon  it,  from  En-gedi  even  unto  En-eglaim ;  they 
shall  be  a  place  to  spread  forth  nets ;  their  fish  shall  be 
according  to  their  kinds,  as  the  fish  of  the  great  sea,  exceed- 
ing many,"  Ezek.  47  :  9,  10.  Then  ministers  shall  no 
longer  fish  with  angles,  catching  now  one  and  then  another ; 
but  shall  spread  forth  their  nets  and  inclose  multitudes  of 
converts. 

There  are  some  happy  seasons  wherein  Christ  utters  his 
almighty  voice  in  the  word,  but  their  time  is  unknown  to 
man ;  we  cannot  say  when  it  will  come,  but  are  to  wait  for 
it  as  the  man  did  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda.  Ministers  must 
preach  in  hope,  and  wait  in  hope,  if  at  any  time  God  will 
give  the  people  repentance.  2  Tim.  2  :  25.  We  are  often 
mistaken  in  our  conjectures  :  when  we  have  made  the  best 
preparations,  and  have  a  more  than  ordinary  enlargement 
of  spirit,  we  are  apt  to  conclude  this  is  the  blessed  hour 
wherein  Christ  will  speak  to  the  heart  as  we  do  to  the  ear ; 
but  Ave  often  find  ourselves  mistaken ;  yet  we  must  wait  in 
hope,  and  so  must  our  people.  Such  a  happy  time  may 
come,  and  when  it  doth  it  will  be  a  day  for  ever  to  be  remem- 
bered, because  then  the  first  actual  application  of  Christ 
will  be  made  to  your  souls ;  without  which  all  that  the 
Father  has  done  in  election,  and  the  Son  in  his  redemption, 


HIS  VOICE   HEARD.  237 

would  be  of  no  advantage  to  your  souls.  And  therefore  you 
shall  find  that  this  work  of  the  Spirit  stands  between  those 
works,  and  makes  them  effectual  to  our  salvation.  1  Pet. 
1  :  2.  This  is  the  hour  upon  which  our  eternal  blessedness 
depends ;  it  will  be  celebrated  for  ever  in  your  praises,  in  the 
world  to  come.  0  what  an  influence  has  this  hour  to  all 
eternity  I  The  hearing  of  this  voice  of  Christ  opens  the 
councils  of  heaven,  and  brings  to  light  the  eternal  counsels 
of  God  concerning  you  :  "  Knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your 
election  of  God.  For  our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word 
only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Thess. 
1:4,5.  This  gives  greater  assurance  of  the  eternal  love  of 
God  to  a  man's  soul,  than  the  sweetest  smile  of  providence 
or  any  voice  from  heaven  could  do.  This  is  the  day  of  our 
spiritual  resurrection,  John  5  :  25 — a  greater  and  more  glo- 
rious resurrection  by  far  than  that  of  your  bodies  at  the  last 
day  ;  so  much  greater,  as  the  value  of  your  souls  is  above  that 
of  your  bodies :  as  also,  because  the  blessedness  of  your  bod- 
ily resurrection  depends  on  this  your  spiritual  resurrection 
by  the  voice  of  Christ.  Dreadful  will  the  voice  of  Christ 
be  at  the  resurrection  of  your  bodies,  except  you  first  hear 
this  vital  voice  of  Christ  quickening  your  souls  with  spirit- 
ual life.  To  conclude,  this  is  the  great  era  from  which  you 
are  to  date  all  your  spiritual  mercies  ;  for  as  the  Lord  said 
unto  the  Jews,  "  From  this  day  will  I  bless  you,"  Hag. 
2  :  19  ;  so  saith  the  Lord  to  you,  From  this  hour  wherein  you 
have  heard  and  obeyed  the  voice  of  Christ,  will  I  bless  you 
for  ever  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  him. 
Inference  1.  This  point  presents  us  with  abundant 
matter  of  lamentation  over  multitudes  who  sit  under  the 
sound  of  the  gospel,  yet,  as  Christ  speaks  of  the  Jews,  John 
5  :  37,  have  not  heard  the  voice  of  God  at  any  time.  The 
ministerial  voice  of  Christ  they  hear  daily  ;  but  this  effica- 
cious internal  voice,  which  makes  the  ministerial  voice  the 
word  of  life  and  power,  they  have  not  heard.     The  gospel, 


238  CHEIST  KNOCKINCx  AT  THE   DOOR. 

to  most  of  our  hearers,  is  but  an  empty  sound :  this  is  a  sad 
symptom.  "  If  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are 
lost ;  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds 
of  them  that  believe  not."  2  Cor.  4  :  3,  4.  This  hiding  of 
the  gospel  is  not  opposed  to  the  external  ministration  of  it, 
nor  to  the  understanding  of  the  true  sense  and  meaning  of 
the  truths  delivered  by  it  ;  but  to  that  internal  efficacy  Avhich 
is  here  called  hearing  Christ's  voice.  Our  hearers  are  gener- 
ally satisfied  when  they  have  heard  a  sermon,  much  more  if 
they  can  remember  something  of  it,  though  the  Lord  has 
not  spoken  one  truth  they  have  heard  home  to  their  hearts. 
This  is  a  sad  case,  and  God  grant  it  be  not  that  very  judg- 
ment threatened,  Isa.  6:9,"  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand 
not ;  and  see  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not."  Hearing  the 
voice  of  man  without  feeling  the  power  of  God,  is  all  one 
as  if  we  heard  not.  Reflect  upon  this,  you  that  are  as  un- 
concerned under  the  word  as  the  seats  you  sit  upon.  God 
speaketh  once,  yea,  twice,  but  man  perceiveth  it  not.  The 
eternal  decrees  and  counsels  of  God  are  now  executing  upon 
the  souls  of  men  under  the  gospel.  As  many  as  are  or- 
dained to  eternal  life  shall  believe  and  feel  the  power  of 
God's  truth  upon  their  hearts.  Acts  13  :  48.  Andmethinks 
it  should  be  of  startling  consideration,  when  you  see  others 
struck  to  the  heart,  cast  into  fear  and  tremblings  by  the 
same  word  that  does  not  in  the  least  touch  your  hearts.  It 
may  be  you  think  this  is  but  fancy  and  melancholy,  but 
that  very  thought  is  an  artifice  of  Satan  to  blind  your  eyes. 
Christ  made  another  use  of  it  when  he  told  the  secure  and 
self-righteous  Jews,  *'  John  came  unto  you  in  the  way  of 
righteousness,  and  ye  believed  him  not ;  but  the  publicans 
and  the  harlots  believed  him  :  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it, 
repented  not  afterward  that  ye  might  believe  him."  Matt. 
21  :  32.  As  though  he  had  said,  What  did  you  do  to  quiet 
your  consciences,  when  you  saw  other  sinners  humbled  and 
brought  to  faith  under  John's  ministry  ?     It  is  strange  there 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  239 

should  be  no  reflections  in  your  consciences  upon  your  own 
state  and  condition ;  but  thus  it  must  be,  one  shall  be  taken 
and  another  left ;  to  some  the  gospel  shall  be  the  savor  of  life 
unto  life,  and  to  others  the  savor  of  death  unto  death.  Who 
can  look  over  so  great  a  part  of  a  congregation  without  ten- 
der compassion,  considering  that  unto  this  day  the  Lord  has 
not  given  them  eyes  to  see,  nor  ears  to  hear  ?  They  have  heard 
multitudes  of  sermons  ;  and  they  have  also  heard  what  efiects 
these  have  had  upon  other  men's  hearts ;  but  they  have  none 
upon  theirs,  0  that  such  souls  would  cry  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  such  language  as  that  in  Sol.  Song  13:13:  "  The  com- 
panions hearken  to  thy  voice  :  cause  me  to  hear  it."  Lord, 
let  me  not  sit  under  the  word  any  longer  deaf  to  the  voice 
of  thy  Spirit  in  it.  Open  the  ears  of  my  soul,  that  I  may 
hear  thy  voice  and  feel  thy  power  ;  otherwise  the  A^oice  of 
the  ministry  will  be  ineffectual  to  my  salvation  ;  it  will  but 
quiet  my  conscience  for  a  little  while,  and  prove  a  dreadful 
aggravation  of  my  misery  in  the  end. 

2.  It  also  follows  from  the  subject,  that  we  have  this 
day  before  our  eyes  a  great  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the 
Scriptures.  No  miracles  can  seal  it  firmer  than  the  events 
which  are  visible  to  all  that  will  observe  them.  What  you 
read  in  the  word  you  may  see  every  day  fulfilled  before  your 
eyes.  "  We  are  unto  God  a  sweet  savor  of  Christ,  in  them 
that  are  saved,  and  in  them  that  perish  :  to  the  one  we  are 
the  savor  of  death  unto  death,  and  to  the  other  the  savor  of 
life  unto  life."  2  Cor.  2  :  15,  16.  And  again.  Acts  28  :  24, 
when  Paul  in  his  lodgings  had  expounded  and  testified  the 
kingdom  of  God  to  the  people,  and  persuaded  them  to  be- 
heve  from  morning  till  evening,  it  is  observed,  that  "  some 
believed  the  things  which  were  spoken,  and  some  believed 
not."  Here  you  see  the  contrary  efiects  of  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  according  to  the  scripture  account  of  it :  it 
quickens  some  and  kills  others  ;  brings  some  to  faith,  and 
leaves  others  still  in  unbelief.     Compare  this  account  with 


240  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 

what  is  daily  before  you :  do  you  not  see  souls  influenced 
to  contrary  effects  under  the  same  word  ;  one  melting  and 
tender,  another  hardened  and  wholly  unconcerned  ?  Tell 
me,  you  that  are  apt  to  ascribe  all  to  nature,  how  comes  it  to 
pass  in  men  exercising  reason  alike,  men  that  have  the  same 
inbred  fears  and  hopes  of  things  eternal,  who  have  the  same 
passions  and  affections,  and  are  in  the  selfsame  condition  with 
others ;  yet  one  man's  heart  is  wounded,  and  goes  away  trem- 
bling from  under  the  selfsame  word  which  affects  the  other 
no  more  than  if  it  had  been  preached  among  the  tombs  to 
the  dead  that  lie  there  ?  Say  not  that  some  have  more 
courage  than  others,  or  clearer  understandings ;  for  the  word 
has  convinced  as  rational  and  courageous  persons  as  those 
upon  whom  it  has  had  no  such  effect.  I  doubt  not  but  that 
the  jailer  who  was  filled  with  such  trembling  and  astonish- 
ment. Acts  16  :  27-30,  was  as  stout  and  rugged  a  person  as 
any  to  whom  Paul  usually  preached ;  his  very  office  bespoke 
him  such  a  man.  Wonder  not  what  it  is  that  makes  men 
alarmed  at  such  a  sound,  which  you  hear  as  well  as  they, 
but  it  affects  you  not.  The  Lord  speaks  in  that  voice  to 
their  hearts,  but  not  to  yours ;  and  so  it  must  be,  according 
to  the  account  the  Scriptures  give  us  of  the  contrary  effects 
of  the  gospel  on  them  that  hear  it ;  which  is,  I  say,  a  firm 
seal  of  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures,  and  highly  worth  the  ob-' 
servation  of  all. 

3.  What  dignity  has  God  stamped  on  gospel  ordi- 
nances, in  making  them  the  medium  through  which  Christ 
speaks  life  to  dead  souls.  This  greatly  exalts  the  dignity  of 
the  gospel,  and  deservedly  endears  it  to  our  souls.  I  deny 
not  but  God  can  convey  spiritual  life  without  them ;  but 
though  he  hath  not  restricted  himself,  yet  he  hath  enjoined  on 
us  a  diligent  attendance  upon  them,  and  that  with  the  deep- 
est respect  and  reverence.  "  He  that  heareth  you,  heareth 
me ;  and  he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me ;  and  he  that 
despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that  sent  me."     Luke  10  :  16. 


HIS   VOICE   HEARD.  241 

Behold  how  this  sin  is  aggravated  to  the  height  of  sinful- 
ness. The  contempt  of  the  gospel  runs  much  higher  than 
men  are  aware  of.  We  think  it  no  great  matter  to  neglect 
and  contemn  a  messenger  of  Jesus  Christ ;  but  that  con- 
tempt flies  in  the  very  face  and  authority  of  Christ,  who 
gave  them  their  commissions — yea,  in  the  very  face  of  God 
the  Father,  who  gave  Christ  his  commission.  Christ  speaks 
by  his  ministers,  they  are  his  mouth.  Jer.  15  :  19.  More- 
over, the  sin  strikes  at  our  own  souls,  and  we  injure  them 
as  well  as  Christ.  For  the  word  preached  is  his  appointed 
instrument  to  convey  spiritual  life,  the  best  of  blessings,  to 
our  souls.  Upon  which  account  it  is  called  "  the  word  of 
life,"  and  "the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  We  militate 
against  our  life  and  salvation  when  we  despise  and  neglect 
the  ordinances  of  God.  It  is  good  for  men  continually  to 
wait  on  them ;  who  knows  when  the  Spirit  of  God  will 
breathe  life  to  your  souls  through  them  ?  What  if  you  have 
yet  found  no  such  benefit  from  them  ?  The  very  next  op- 
portunity may  be  the  appointed  season  of  your  salvation. 
Bring  your  ungodly  relatives  with  you,  as  men  did  their 
diseased  friends  when  Christ  was  on  earth,  laying  them  in 
the  way  he  was  to  pass.  Christ  will  honor  his  ordinances ; 
see  that  you  do  not  despise  them. 

4.  What  a  fearful  judgment  is  the  loss  of  the  gospel, 
seeing  that  by  it  Christ  speaketh  life  to  the  souls  of  men. 
The  Spirit  and  the  word  of  God  usually  come  and  go  togeth- 
er ;  when  therefore  these  are  gone,  no  more  conversions  are 
to  be  expected  :  dreadful  is  the  case  of  that  people.  "Where 
there  is  no  vision,  the  people  perish."  Prov.  29  :  18.  Those 
are  direful  menaces  in  Isaiah  8  :  16,  "Bind  up  the  testimo- 
ny, seal  the  law  among  my  disciples  ;"  and  Rev.  2  :  5,  "  I 
will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place."  Better  the 
sun  were  taken  out  of  heaven  than  the  gospel  out  of  the 
church.  Think  not  God  has  made  such  a  settlement  of  the 
gospel  that  it  shall  never  be  removed,  however  you  use  it. 

Christ  Kuocking.  1  1 


242  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Your  Advocate  in  heaven  has  obtained  it  for  you  for  a  time 
upon  trial ;  if  you  bring  forth  fruit,  well ;  you  and  the  gen- 
erations to  come  shall  be  happy  in  it ;  if  not,  this  blessed 
tree,  which  has  brought  forth  so  many  mercies  to  you  and 
yours,  must  and  will  be  cut  down.  Yea,  and  even  now  is 
the  axe  laid  at  the  root  of  the  tree.  Matt.  3:10.  It  is  an 
allusion  to  a  carpenter  that  throws  down  the  axe  and  the 
saw  at  the  root  of  the  tree  he  intends  to  cut  down.  The 
only  ground  of  hope  which  remains  with  us  is,  that  there 
are  some  buds  appearing,  some  fruits  putting  forth ;  and  if 
there  be  a  blessing  in  the  bud,  the  Lord  will  spare  it,  ac- 
cording to  Isa.  65  :  8.  But  these  hopes  are  balanced  with 
many  sad  symptoms,  which  may  make  us  tremble  to  think 
what  God  is  about  to  do  with  such  a  sinful  people. 

5.  Those  ivho  liave  heard  Christ's  voice  in  the  gospel 
have  no  reason  to  he  discouraged  from  going  to  Christ  in 
faith.  Christ's  call  is  a  sufficient  warrant  to  believe.  Many 
are  staggered  in  their  work  of  faith  by  the  fear  of  presump- 
tion, an  objection  which  they  know  not  how  to  clear  them- 
selves of;  but  certainly  this,  above  all  other  considerations, 
destroys  the  objection  of  presumption.  Men  presume  when 
they  act  without  a  call  or  warrant ;  but  if  Christ  has  spoken 
to  our  hearts  by  the  voice  of  his  Spirit,  you  have  the  best 
warrant  in  the  world  to  go  to  him.  "What  though  you  know 
not  the  issue,  your  obedience  is  due  to  his  call.  "  By  faith 
Abraham,  when  he  was  called  to  go  out  into  a  place  which 
he  should  after  receive  for  an  inheritance,  obeyed  ;  and  he 
went  out,  not  knovsdng  whither  he  went."  Heb.  11:8.  So 
must  you.  It  is  not  necessary  to  your  going  to  Christ,  that 
you  must  know  beforehand  what  the  result  thereof  shall  be. 
Your  believing  is  an  act  of  obedience  to  Christ  who  calls 
you.  When  therefore  Satan  shall  object,  "What,  such  a 
wretched  soul  as  thou  go  to  Christ  ?  Canst  thou  imagine 
to  find  favor  with  him,  whom  thou  hast  so  deeply  wronged  ? 
Thy  answer  should  be,  It  is  true,  I  have  been  a  vile  wretch. 


HIS  VOICE  HEARD.  243 

and  deeply  w^-onged  the  Lord  Jesiis;  but  lie  has  spoken 
to  my  heart,  he  hath  called  me,  and  therefore  it  can  be  no 
presumption  in  me  to  go  at  his  call;  but  contrariwise,  it 
would  be  jflat  rebellion  against  his  sovereign  command  to 
refuse  to  believe,  and  come  unto  him  ;  yea,  it  would  be  a 
greater  sin  than  any  of  my  former  sins  have  been.  Besides, 
had  the  Lord  Jesus  no  intention  of  mercy  towards  my  soul, 
he  would  never  have  spoken  to  my  heart  by  conviction  and 
persuasion,  as  he  has  done. 

6.  If  no  soul  opens  to  Christ  until  it  hear  his  powerful, 
spiritual  voice,  then  the  change  made  in  men  by  conversion 
is  siqjer natural.  The  rise  of  faith  is  from  this  power  of 
Christ,  not  from  the  nature  of  man.  John  1:13.  Proud 
nature  arrogates  this  honor  to  itself,  but  without  any  ground ; 
for  though  some  things  may  be  done  by  men  in  their  nat- 
ural state,  which  have  a  remote  tendency  to  conversion  and 
spiritual  life,  yet  the  soul  never  opens  to  Christ  savingly, 
without  a  power  communicated  from  himself.  Nature  pro- 
duces no  such  effect  as  this.  The  Scriptures  speak  plainly  : 
"  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him  :  neither  can  he 
know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  1  Cor. 
2 :  14.  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith ;  and  that 
not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  Eph.  2:8.  "  The 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  Rom.  8:7.  "  How 
can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good  things."  Matt.  12  :  34.  *'  Not 
that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of 
ourselves ;  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  2  Cor.  3  :  5.  How 
fallen  then  is  man,  who  can  neither  believe  nor  obey,  speak 
a  good  word  nor  thinlt  a  good  thought,  without  power  from 
on  high. 

Say  not  it  is  against  reason  for  God  to  require  men  to  do 
what  they  cannot  do,  and  then  eternally  punish  them  for  not 
doing  it.     For,  first,  though  man  has  lost  his  ability  to  obey, 


244  CHE.IST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE    DOOR. 

God  has  not  lost  his  right  to  command.  For  then  any  man 
might  shake  off  the  yoke  of  God's  sovereignty  by  disabhng 
himself  through  his  own  sin  for  the  duties  of  obedience. 
Second,  though  man  has  not  sufficient  power,  yet  there  is  in 
him  an  intolerable  pride,  which  fills  him  with  a  conceit 
that  he  has  what  he  has  not,  and  can  do  what  he  cannot. 
The  command  is  therefore  of  great  use  to  check  this  pride, 
and  to  convince  man  of  his  weakness.  Rev.  3:17.  Third, 
every  man  can  do  more  than  he  does  towards  his  conversion. 
And  therefore  it  is  good  for  men  to  be  urged  by  commands 
to  all  the  duties  in  the  use  of  which  Christ  comes  into  the 
soul  by  a  supernatural  power. 

7.  This  doctrine  furnishes  a  powerful  incentive  to  all 
within  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  especially  to  such  as  feel 
some  power  accompanying  the  word  to  their  hearts,  dili- 
gently to  hearken  to  the  voice  of  Christ,  and  obey  his  call 
without  further  delay.  "He  that  hath  an  ear  to  hear, 
let  him  hear."  E.ev.  2:7.  It  is  a  dreadful  and  dangerous 
thing  to  turn  away  the  ear  from  him  that  speaks  from 
heaven  :  "  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh.  For 
if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake  on  earth, 
much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven."  Heb.  12  :  25.  See  that  ye 
refuse  not.  The  caution  implies  the  matter  to  be  very 
weighty,  and  a  neglect  or  refusal  to  be  highly  dangerous. 
Turn  not  away  your  ear,  be  not  guilty  of  neglect  in  so 
important  a  concern. 

Truly  this  caution  is  no  more  than  is  needful ;  for  Satan 
is  never  more  busy  with  the  souls  of  men  than  when  Christ 
first  effectually  calls  them  to  himself.  0  what  a  thick  suc- 
cession of  discouragements  impetuously  assault  the  soul  at 
this  time  !  Art  thou  young  ?  then  he  insinuates  that  it  is  too 
soon  for  thee  to  mind  the  serious  things  of  religion  ;  that  this 
will  extinguish  all  thy  pleasure  in  a  dull  melancholy  ;  that 
thou  mayest  have  time  enough  hereafter  to  mind  these  mat- 


HIS  VOICE   HEARD.  245 

ters.  This  temptation  Augustine  confesses  kept  him  off 
many  years  from  Christ.  But  certainly,  if  thou  art  old 
enough  to  be  lost,  thou  art  not  too  young  to  receive  Christ 
and  salvation.  There  are  graves  just  of  thy  length,  and 
young  as  well  as  old  arc  found  in  eternal  perdition.  Besides, 
all  those  godly  youth  who  turned  to  the  Lord  betimes,  as 
Josiah,  Abijah,  Timothy,  and  many  more,  will  be  your 
judges,  and  condemn  you  in  the  great  day.  None  ever 
repented  that  they  opened  to  Christ  too  soon  :  thousands 
have  repented  that  they  kept  him  out  so  long.  Art  thou 
old?  then  he  alarms  thee  with  the  manifold  sins  of  thy 
youth,  and  places  them  as  obstructions  in  thy  way  to  Christ. 
And  whether  young  or  old,  he  will  present  the  sufferings 
and  persecutions  of  godliness,  to  discourage  thee  from  heark- 
ening to  the  voice  of  Christ.  But  what  are  the  sufferings 
for  Christ  here,  to  the  sufferings  from  Christ  hereafter  ? 
"What  are  the  pains  of  mortification  to  the  pains  of  damna- 
tion ?  Besides,  all  the  promises  of  Christ,  promises  of 
strength,  comfort,  and  success,  go  with  the  command  of 
Christ  to  believe,  and  shall  surely  be  performed  to  the  obe- 
dient soul.     See,  therefore,  that  thou  refuse  not  his  voice. 

But  you  will  say.  All  that  hear  this  voice  of  Christ  are 
said  to  live.  John  5  :  25.  Now  I  am  much  in  the  dark 
whether  this  vital  voice  of  Christ  has  sounded  into  my  soul. 
Alas,  I  feel  little,  if  any  thing,  of  the  spiritual  life  in  my 
soul.  I  am  dead  and  dark.  Let  us  then  improve  the  doc- 
trine by  way  of  trial. 

Question.  By  ivliat  signs  does  the  life  of  Christ  show 
itself  in  the  souls  of  men  ? 

Answer.  There  are  diverse  signs  of  spiritual  life,  and 
blessed  is  the.  soul  that  finds  them. 

(1.)  There  is  a  spiritual  feeling  accompanying  the  spir- 
itual life.  I  speak  not  only  of  the  sense  of  comfort,  for 
many  a  soul  in  Christ  feels  little  of  that ;  but  there  is  a 


216  CHTvIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

sense  and  feeling  of  the  burden  of  sin.  Rom.  7  :  24.  And  it 
is  well  that  we  can  feel  that ;  for  there  are  multitudes  in  the 
world  that  are  past  feeling.  Isa.  6  :  9,  10.  It  is  a  sign  Christ 
has  spoken  to  thy  heart,  if  sorrow  for  sin  begins  to  load  it. 

(2.)  Spiritual  motions  towards  Christ  are  a  sign  of  spir- 
itual life  ;  at  least,  that  God  is  about  that  quickening  work 
of  faith  upon  thy  soul :  "  Every  man  therefore  that  hath 
heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me." 
John  6  :  45.  The  efiectual  voice  of  God  sets  the  soul  in 
motion  towards  Christ ;  the  will  is  moving  after  him  ;  the 
desires  are  panting  for  him.  The  voice  of  God  makes  the 
soul  that  hears  it  restless.  As  for  others,  their  wills  are 
fixed,  there  is  no  moving  them.  John  5  :  40.  Now  consider 
how  it  is  with  thee,  reader.  Art  thou  weighing  and  ponder- 
ing the  terms  of  the  gospel,  struggling  through  discourage- 
ments and  temptations  to  come  to  Christ  upon  his  own 
terms,  lifting  up  thy  heart  to  him  for  power  to  believe,  cry- 
ing with  the  spouse.  Draw  me,  we  will  run  after  thee  ? 
Sol.  Song  1  :  4.  This  is  a  comfortable  sign  that  Christ  has 
spoken  to  thy  heart. 

(3.)  A  spirit  of  iJrayer  is  an  evidence  of  spiritual  life,  as 
the  effect  of  Christ's  voice  to  thy  soul.  As  soon  as  Christ 
had  spoken  effectually  to  Paul's  heart,  the  first  effect  that 
appeared  in  him  as  a  sign  of  spiritual  life,  was  the  breath  of 
prayer.  Behold,  he  prayeth  I  Acts  9:11.  God  has  no 
still-born  children.  Measure  thyself  by  this  rule ;  time  was 
when  thou  couldst  say  a  prayer,  and  wast  very  well  satisfied 
with  it,  whether  thou  hadst  any  communion  with  God  in  it 
or  no  ;  but  is  it  so  still  ?  Is  there  not  a  holy  restlessness  of 
spirit  after  God,  since  the  time  that  his  word  came  home  to 
thy  heart  ?  Surely  thou  canst  remember  when  it  was  not 
with  thee  as  it  is  now. 

(4.)  There  is  a  spiritual  relish  resulting  from  the  spirit- 
ual hfe,  which  is  also  an  evidence  of  it.  If  God  has  spoken 
life  to  thy  soul,  there  will  be  in  it  an  agreeable  pleasure  and 


HIS  VOICE   HEARD.,  247 

deliglit  in  spiritual  things  :  "  My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as 
with  marrow  and  fatness."  Psa.  63  :  5.  Now  thy  thoughts 
can  feed  with  pleasure  upon  spiritual  things  which  they  dis- 
liked before. 

(5.)  Spiritual  aversions  as  well  as  spiritual  in€li?iatio7is 
indicate  a  spiritual  life.  Every  creature  has  an  aversion  to 
what  is  destructive  to  it.  Now  there  is  nothing  so  destruc- 
tive to  spiritual  life  as  sin ;  that  is  the  deadly  poison  which 
the  renewed  soul  dreads.  "  Keep  back  thy  servant  also 
from  presumptuous  sins."  Psa.  19  :  13.  It  cries  out  as  a 
man  who  finds  himself  upon  the  brink  of  a  pit,  or  the  edge 
of  a  precipice  :  "  Keep  back  thy  servant."  Such  aversion 
to  sin,  and  trembling  under  temptations  tending  to  sin,  are 
comfortable  signs  that  Christ  has  spoken  life  to  thy  soul. 

(6.)  Heavenly  tendencies  and  longings  after  God  are 
excellent  signs  that  thy  soul  has  heard  his  voice,  and  been 
quickened  with  spiritual  life  by  it.  Sanctification  is  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  John  4  :  14. 
If  thou  hast  seen  the  beauty,  felt  the  power,  and  heard  the 
voice  of  Christ,  thy  soul,  like  a  body  which  has  lost  its 
centre,  will  still  be  gravitating  and  inclining  Christward. 
When  thou  hast  once  heard  the  effectual  call.  Come  unto 
me,  Matt.  11  :  28,  thy  soul  will  continually  echo  the  voice 
of  holy  love :  "  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come."  Rev.  22  :  17.  Thou 
w^ilt  say  in  reply,  "  Come,  Lord  Jesus."  Rev.  22  :  20,  A 
sweeter  sign  of  hearing  Christ's  voice  can  hardly  be  fomid 
in  a  soul,  than  a  longing  to  be  with  Christ  in  the  state  of 
perfect  freedom  from  sin,  and  full  fruition  of  the  beloved  and 
blessed  Jesus. 


248  CHE.IST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    OPENING    OE    THE    HEART    TO    CHRIST    BY 
EAITH  THE    GREAT   DESIGN    OF   THE    GOSPEL. 

"IF  ANY  RLA.N  HEAR  MY  VOICE   AND   OPEN  THE  DOOR,  1  WILL 
COME   IN  TO  HIM."    Rev.  3 :  20. 

The  powerful  voice  of  Christ  is  the  key  that  opens  the 
door  of  the  soul  to  receive  him.  The  opening  of  the  heart 
to  receive  Christ  is  the  main  design  in  all  the  external  and 
internal  administrations  of  the  gospel  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  gospel  has  two  great  designs.  One  is,  to  open  the 
heart  of  God  to  men,  and  to  show  them  the  everlasting 
counsels  of  grace  and  peace  which  were  hid  in  God  from 
ages  and  generations  past ;  that  all  men  may  now  see  what 
God  has  been  designing  and  contriving  for  their  happiness  in 
Christ  before  the  world  was  :  "  To  make  all  men  see  what 
is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery  which  from  the  begimiing 
of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all  things  by 
Jesus  Christ  ;  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  principalities 
and  powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the 
church  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God."  Ephes.  3:9,  10. 
The  other  intention  of  the  gospel  is,  to  open  the  hearts  of 
men  to  receive  Jesus  Christ,  without  which  all  the  glorious 
discoveries  of  the  eternal  counsels  and  gracious  contrivances 
of  God  for  us,  would  signify  nothing  to  our  real  advantage. 
Christ's  standing,  knocking,  and  speaking  by  his  Spirit, 
of  which  we  have  before  treated,  receive  their  success, 
and  attain  their  end,  when  the  heart  opens  itself  by  faith 
to  receive  him,  and  not  till  then.  Hence  we  see  our  ninth 
doctrine  is, 

The  opening  of  the  heart  to  receive  Christ  by  faith,  is 
the  great  desig7i  of  the  gospel. 

This  is  the  mark  to  which  all  the  arrows  in  the  gospel- 
quiver  are  levelled — the  centre  into  which  those  blessed 


THE   HEART  OPENED   BY  FAITH.  249 

lines  arc  drawn.  "  These  are  written  that  ye  might  believe 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  believ- 
ing, ye  might  have  life  through  his  name."  John  20  :  31. 
All  the  precious  truths  that  are  written  in  the  Scriptures 
are  to  bring  you  to  faith.  The  great  design  of  the  Spirit  in 
his  illumuiations,  convictions,  and  humiliations  is  the  same 
thing  :  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  beheve."  John 
6  :  29.  It  is  not  only  a  work  worthy  of  such  an  author, 
but  that  on  which  God's  eye  is  fixed  in  his  workmgs  upon 
us — the  end  and  aim  of  his  work. 

Great  persons  have  great  designs.  This  is  the  glorious 
project  of  the  great  God,  and  each  person  in  the  Godhead  is 
engaged  in  it.  1.  The  Father's  hand  is  in  this  work,  and 
without  it  no  heart  could  ever  open  or  move  towards  Christ : 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  me  draw  him."  John  6  :  44.  None  but  he  that 
raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  can  raise  up  a  dead  heart  to 
saving  faith  ui  him.  2.  The  Son's  hand  is  in  this  work  ;  he 
is  not  only  the  object,  but  the  author  of  our  faith.  "  We 
know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an 
understanding,  that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true  ;  and  we 
are  in  him  that  is  true,  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This 
is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life."  1  John,  5  :  20.  3.  And 
then  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  from  heaven  expressly  to  con- 
vmce  sinners  of  their  need  of  Christ,  and  beget  faith  in 
them.  John  16:  9.  So  that  this  appears  to  be  the  great 
design  of  heaven,  the  drift  and  level  both  of  the  word  and 
works  of  God.  Touching  this  design  of  the  gospel  I  shall 
here  speak,  endeavoring  to  illustrate  this  great  and  glorious 
project  of  heaven  in  its  greatness  ;  its  difficulty  ;  the  Agent 
and  instrument  employed  in  it ;  and  its  scope  and  aim.    And, 

I.  Of  the  GREATNESS  of  tliis  design  of  God.  "We  little 
understand  what  a  marvellous  thing  is  done  on  the  earth 
when  the  heart  of  a  sinner  is  brought  to  close  with  Christ 
by  faith.     It  would  transport  us  with  admiration,  did  we 


250  CHEIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE  DOOR. 

thoroufrhly  consider  it.  "Well  may  the  apostle  place  it  in 
the  first  rank  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God  :  "  Great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness  :  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justi- 
fied in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles, 
believed  on  in  the  world."  1  Tim.  3  :  16.  Observe  with 
what  works  of  wonder  faith  is  here  associated.  It  is  an 
astonishing  work  of  God,  that  ever  God  should  be  manifested 
in  the  flesh — that  he  who  thunders  in  the  clouds  should  cry 
in  a  cradle — that  he  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever, 
should  become  a  man.  It  is  astonishing,  that  when  he  was 
taken  down  dead  from  the  cross,  laid  in  the  sepulchre,  and 
the  stone  sealed  upon  it,  he  should  rise  on  the  third  day 
from  the  dead  by  his  own  power.  That  the  gospel  should 
be  preached  to  such  miserable  people  as  the  Gentiles  were, 
the  scorn  and  contempt  of  the  Jews.  And  no  less  marvel- 
lous is  it,  to  see  the  hearts  of  such  poor  creatures,  which 
w^ere  glued  fast  to  idolatry  and  dead  in  sin,  open  to  Christ 
upon  such  self-denying  terms  as  to  let  go  all  they  had  in 
the  world  for  a  blessed  inheritance  which  they  never  saw. 
Were  not  this  a  marvellous  work  of  God  indeed,  there 
would  not  be  such  joy  and  triumph  in  heaven  among  the 
holy  angels,  as  there  is  on  the  opening  of  every  sinner's  heart 
to  Christ.  Luke  15:7,  The  whole  city  of  God  is  moved 
with  it.  Heaven  rings  with  the  joyful  tidings.  As  soon  as 
the  will  begins  to  bow  and  open  to  Christ,  the  news  is 
quickly  in  heaven,  and  all  the  angels  of  God  rejoice  at  the 
tidings.  As  when  a  young  prince  is  born,  there  is  joy 
in  every  city  throughout  the  kingdom  ;  so  also  there  is  in 
heaven,  when  Christ  hath  gotten  a  new  habitation  in  the 
soul  of  any  sinner  upon  earth.  Moreover,  the  greatness  of 
this  design  appears  from  the  great  rewards  promised  by  the 
Lord  to  every  servant  of  his  who  in  the  least  degree  helps 
it  on.  God  would  never  reward  the  instruments  so  richly, 
if  the  success  of  the  work  were  not  of  great  value  in  his 
eyes.     The  ministers  of  Christ  may  be  ill-rewarded  by  men, 


THE   HEART  OPENED   BY  FAITH.  251 

persecuted  and  reproached  for  their  labor,  but  God  will 
bountifully  repay  their  pains  and  faithfulness.  "  They  that 
be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever 
and  ever."  Dan.  12:3.  All  these  things  show  it  to  be 
a  great  and  important  design,  upon  which  the  heart  of  God 
is  much  set. 

II.  As  it  is  an  exceeding  great  and  important  work  of 
God,  so  it  is  a  very  hard  and  difficult  work  in  itself — a 
work  whose  difficulties  surmount  the  ability  of  angels.  It 
is  certainly  a  work  carried  on  by  the  mighty  power  of  God, 
through  the  greatest  opposition ;  and  therefore  it  is  said 
that  it  is  the  peculiar  prerogative  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  only 
hath  the  key  of  the  house  of  David,  to  open  the  heart  of  a 
sinner  by  faith.  He  v.  3:7.  Men  think  it  is  an  easy  thing 
to  believe ;  but  if  you  consult  the  Scriptures,  you  will 
qui'ckly  be  informed  how  greatly  you  mistake  the  nature  of 
this  work.  The  believing  soul  is  said  to  be  risen  with 
Christ,  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who 
raised  him  from  the  dead.  Cor.  2  :  12.  In  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  there  was  a  glorious  operation  of  the  power  of 
God  indeed  I  you  know  it  astonished  the  world  to  hear  of  it. 
The  very  same  power  that  wrought  that,  must  also  be  put 
forth  to  work  this,  or  it  would  never  be  wrought.  So 
again,  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  :  and  that  not 
of  yourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  Eph.  2:8.  Not  of 
yourselves  :  you  are  no  more  able  to  come  to  Christ  by 
faith,  in  your  own  power,  than  Lazarus  was  able  to  unbind 
himself  in  the  grave,  and  come  forth.  Yea,  in  Eph.  1:19, 
the  work  of  believing  is  ascribed  unto  the  exceeding  great- 
ness of  the  power  of  God.  No  other  but  the  almighty 
power  of  God  can  do  it :  it  exceeds  the  power  of  ministers, 
yea,  of  angels.  Three  things  will  evince  the  difficulty  of 
this  work. 

1.    The  fiature  of  the  work  of  faith,  which  is  wholly 


252  CHRIST  KNOCKIKa  AT  THE   DOOH. 

supernatural.  It  is  no  less  than  gaining  over  the  hearty  and 
full  consent  of  the  will  to  take  Jesus  Christ  with  his  yoke 
of  obedience,  Matt.  1 1  :  29,  and  with  his  cross  of  sufierings, 
Matt.  16:24.  And  how  far  these  will  carry  a  man  into 
dangers,  losses,  and  sufferings,  who  can  tell  ?  and  all  this 
upon  the  account  of  an  unseen  liappiness  and  glory.  Lusts 
and  corruptions  must  be  mortified,  pleasures  and  profits  in 
the  world  abandoned  ;  reproaches,  losses,  pains,  and  all  that 
the  devil  and  the  world  can  lay  upon  us  for  Christ's  sake, 
must  be  embraced  and  welcomed.  And  can  it  be  supposed 
that  any  power  beneath  the  almighty  power  of  the  Lord, 
any  voice  except  the  efficacious  voice  of  Christ,  can  prevail 
with  the  will  to  give  its  firm,  explicit  consent  to  such  diffi.- 
cult  and  self-denying  terms  as  these  ? 

2.  Consider  the  subject  wrought  upon  :  the  hard,  obsti- 
nate heart  of  a  perverse  sinner — a  heart  harder  by  na- 
ture than  the  nether  mill-stone.  It  is  as  easy  to  melt  the 
most  obdurate  rock  into  a  sweet  syrup,  as  it  is  to  melt  the 
heart  of  a  sinner  into  penitential  sorrows  for  sin.  What,  to 
bring  a  dead  heart  to  life  ;  to  make  a  man  bitterly  bewail 
the  sins  that  were  his  delight,  more  than  he  ever  bewailed 
the  death  of  his  dearest  relation  in  the  world  ;  to  make  a 
proud  heart  renounce  its  own  self-righteousness,  which  it 
dotes  upon,  and  take  all  shame  and  reproach  to  itself  upon 
account  of  sin  :  this  is  wonderful.  You  would  think  it  a 
strange  thing  to  see  the  course  of  the  tide  stopped  with  the 
breath  of  a  man  ;  but  0  what  a  marvellous  thing  is  here, 
that  at  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  by  a  poor  worm,  the 
Lord  should  turn  tlie  tide  ol"  the  will,  and  thus  bring  the 
soul  to  a  ready  compliance  with  his  most  self-denying  terms 
and  proposals  ! 

3.  That  which  further  increases  the  difficulty  of  believ- 
ing is  the  fierce  o'pposition  made  by  tlte  enemies  of  faith. 
All  the  powers  of  hell  and  earth  without  us  are  in  league 
with  the  corruptions  within  us,  to  resist  and  hinder  this  work 


THE   HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  253 

of  believing.  Never  is  the  devil  more  busy  than  when 
Christ  and  the  soul  are  treating  about  union.  0  the  dis- 
couragements, objections,  and  difficulties  that  are  rolled  into 
the  way  of  faith  I  one  while  it  is  the  highest  presumption  ; 
another  while  it  is  impossible,  and  utterly  too  late  :  some- 
times blasphemous  injections,  like  fiery  darts,  are  shot  into 
the  soul ;  at  other  times  the  invincible  difficulties  of  religion 
are  objected,  and  losses  and  torments  are  opposed  to  this 
work  The  tempter  presents  himself  in  a  thousand  shapes 
to  hinder  the  soul's  passing  out  of  nature  to  Christ  ;  some- 
times objecting  the  greatness  of  sin,  and  sometimes  the  loss 
of  the  proper  season  and  opportunity  of  mercy,  together  with 
the  want  of  due  qualifications  to  come  to  Christ.  Thus, 
and  many  other  ways,  he  endeavors  to  prevent  sinners  from 
taking  hold  of  Christ:  and  as  every  devil  in  hell  opposes 
this  work,  so  every  carnal  interest  we  have  in  the  world  is 
an  enemy  to  faith.  We  have  enemies  enough  within  us,  as 
well  as  without  us,  conspiring  together  to  obstruct  this  work ; 
all  things  increase  the  difficulty  of  believing. 

III.  We  are  next  to  speak  of  the  Agent  and  instru- 
ment employed  m  this  great  design. 

1 .  The  Agent  by  whose  efficacy  the  heart  is  opened  is 
the  Spirit  of  God,  without  whom  it  is  impossible  the  design 
should  ever  prosper :  neither  ordinances,  providences,  or 
ministers  can  be  successful  without  him.  If  the  Lord  make 
use  of  any  man  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  another's 
soul,  he  may  rejoice  in  it ;  but  withal  must  say,  as  Peter  to 
the  Jews,  "  Why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as  though  by 
our  own  power  or  holiness  we  had  made  this  man  to  walk  ?" 
Acts  3:12  So  may  the  ablest  minister  in  the  world  say, 
when  God  blesses  his  labors  to  the  conversion  of  any  soul, 
Look  not  upon  me,  as  though  by  the  strength  of  my  reason, 
or  the  power  of  my  gifts,  I  had  opened  thy  soul  to  Christ : 
this  is  the  work  of  God's  Spirit,  in  whose  hand  I  am  an 
instrument.    1  Cor.  3:7.     He  that  plants  is  nothing,  and  he 


254  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE  DOOR. 

that  waters  is  nothing — nothing  in  himself;  the  very  first 
stroke  of  conviction,  which  is  introductive  to  the  whole  work 
of  conversion,  is  justly  ascribed  to  the  Spirit.  John  16:9. 
The  Spirit  wlTCn  he  cometh  shall  convince  the  world  of  sin. 
He  is  the  Lord  of  all  sanctifying  and  gracious  influences. 
Ordinances  are  but  as  the  sails  of  a  ship,  ministers  as  the 
seamen  that  manage  those  sails ;  the  anchor  may  be 
weighed,  the  sails  spread,  but  when  all  this  is  done,  there  is 
no  sailing  till  a  wind  come.  We  preach  and  pray,  and  you 
hear ;  but  there  is  no  motion  Christward,  until  the  Spirit  of 
God,  compared  to  the  wind,  John  3:8,  blow  upon  them. 
Until  he  illuminates  the  understanding  with  divine  light, 
and  bows  the  will  by  an  almighty  power,  there  can  be 
no  spiritual  motion  heavenward.  Now  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  is  a  free  agent,  not  tied  to  means,  times,  or  instru- 
ments ;  but,  as  at  a  certain  time  an  angel  came  down  upon 
the  waters  of  Bethesda,  and  put  a  healing  virtue  into  them, 
so  it  is  here  :  therefore  never  come  to  any  gospel  ordinance 
without  an  eye  to  the  Spirit,  on  whom  all  the  blessings 
and  efficacy  depend.  0  lift  up  your  hearts  for  his  blessing 
upon  the  means,  as  ever  you  expect  saving  benefits  ii'om 
them. 

2.  The  instrument  by  which  this  blessed  design  is 
accomplished  in  the  world,  is  the  gosi^el  ministry.  "  Who 
then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers  by  whom  ye 
believed  ?"  1  Cor.  3:5.  This  is  the  ordinary  method  of 
producing  faith ;  and  though  God  has  not  bound  himself  to 
this  or  that  minister,  time,  or  place,  he  has  bound  us  to  a 
diligent  and  constant  attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace  : 
"How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not 
believed  ?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they 
have  not  heard  ?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a 
preacher?"  Rom.  10:14.  I  confess,  it  seems  a  very 
unlikely  means,  a  weak  and  foolish  method,  according  to 
human   wisdom ;    yet  by  the   foolishness  of  preaching,  it 


THE  HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  255 

pleases  God  to  save  them  that  believe.  1  Cor.  1  :  21.  That 
which  the  wisdom  of  men  derides,  God  makes  eflectual  un- 
to salvation.  And  0  how  many  are  there  that  will  have 
cause  to  bless  God  to  all  eternity,  for  gifting  and  sending 
ministers  among  them,  whose  doctrine  the  Lord  blessed  to 
the  conversion  of  their  souls. 

IV.  Consider  the  great  design  for  which  these  instru- 
ments are  employed ;  there  are  no  great  designs  in  the  world 
but  aim  at  some  end  to  be  accomplished  by  them.  Now 
there  are  two  things  in  this  design  which  are  worthy  of  it. 

1.  The  exaltation  of  divine  grace  and  the  riches  of 
his  goodness  before  angels  and  men  to  all  eternity.  The 
name  of  God  is  never  made  so  glorious  in  this  world,  as  it  is 
by  bringing  the  hearts  of  men  to  believe.  God  reaps  more 
glory  from  the  faith  of  a  sinner  that  comes  to  Christ  empty 
and  weary,  than  from  all  other  works  of  his  hands.  He  has 
not  like  glory  from  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  as  from  crea- 
tures wdiose  hearts  open  to  Jesus  Christ  under  the  gospel 
call.  Thus  they  are  fitted  to  manifest  the  glory  of  his  grace. 
Eph.  1:5,  6.  God  will  have  his  rich  and  glorious  grace 
praised  and  admired  by  angels  and  men  for  evermore  ;  and 
every  converted  soul  is  a  monument  erected  unto  the  praise 
of  liis  grace.  Heaven  will  ring  with  praises  for  ever,  that 
the  great  God  would  humble  himself  to  come  into  the  heart 
of  a  vile  sinner,  and  dwell  and  walk  therem,  as  the  expres- 
sion is,  2  Cor.  6:16.  This  is  admirable,  that  the  high  and 
lofty  One,  who  inhabits  eternity,  will  take  up  liis  dw^elling- 
place  in  a  poor  contrite  simier,  that  trembles  at  his  w^ord. 
Isa.  57  :  15. 

2.  The  eternal  salvation  and  blessedness  of  the  soul  so 
opened  to  Christ,  is  also  the  design  of  this  work  of  opening 
the  heart.  "When  the  soul  of  Zaccheus  was  opened  by  faith, 
Christ  said,  "  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house." 
Luke  19  :  9.  You  do  not  only  believe  to  the  glory  of  God, 
but  to  the  salvation  of  your  own  soul.     Heb.  10  :  39.     The 


256  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

opening  of  our  hearts  to  Christ  now,  is  in  order  to  the  opening 
of  heaven  to  us  hereafter  ;  this  is  both  the  end  of  the  work 
and  the  intention  of  the  worker.  "  It  pleased  God  by  the 
foohshness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  beUeve."  1  Cor. 
1:21.  It  at  once  puts  them  into  a  state  of  salvation,  though 
they  be  not  yet  actually  and  completely  saved.  There  is 
a  necessary  connection  between  conversion  and  salvation. 
Though  between  conversion  and  complete  salvation  there 
may  be  many  groaning  hours  and  sad  days  and  nights,  yet 
full  deliverance  from  sin  and  misery  is  secured  to  the  soul 
in  the  work  of  faith.  Christ  in  you  is  the  hope  of  glory. 
Col.  1  :  27. 

Thus  you  see  this  great  design  projected  and  accom- 
plished ;  and  that  this  is  the  very  scope,  aim,  and  intention 
of  the  whole  gospel,  even  the  opening  the  hearts  of  sinners 
mito  Christ  by  faith,  will  evidently  appear  by  considering  the 
several  parts  of  the  gospel  wliich  have  a  direct  aspect  upon 
this  design,  and  the  declared  intention  of  the  Spirit,  Avho  is 
sent  forth  to  make  it  efiectual  to  this  very  purpose. 

(1.)  To  this  the  commands  of  the  gospel  look;  it  lies 
full  in  the  eye  of  the  preceptive  part  of  the  gospel.  "  And 
this  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  1  John,  3  :  23.  It  is  a  very 
great  encouragement,  if  rightly  considered,  that  faith  is  con- 
stituted a  duty  by  a  plain  gospel  precept ;  for  this  cuts  off 
the  pretence  and  plea  of  presumption.  What,  such  a  vile 
wretch  as  thou,  saith  Satan,  presume  to  believe  in  Christ  ? 
But  here  is  a  command  from  the  highest  Sovereign,  the  con- 
tempt of  which  men  shall  answer  at  their  peril. 

(2.)  This  also  is  the  declared  intention  of  the  gospel 
'promises  and  threatenings,  whereby  the  souls  of  sinners  are 
assaulted  on  both  sides.  As  for  'promises,  how  are  all  the 
sacred  pages  of  the  Bible  adorned  with  them  as  the  firma- 
ment with  radiant  stars.  Among  which  that  in  the  text 
seems  to  excel  in  glory.      "  If  any  mnu  open  to  me,  I  will 


THE   HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  257 

come  in  to  him."  Like  unto  which  is  this:  "I  am  the 
bread  of  Hfe  :  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hmiger ; 
and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst ;  him  that 
cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  John  6  :  35,  37. 
Such  rich  encouragements  to  faith  had  never  been  put  into 
the  promises,  but  for  faith's  sake.  And  then  for  gospel 
threatenings,  though  they  have  a  dreadful  sound,  yet  they 
have  a  gracious  design.  What  a  terrible  thunder-clap  is- 
this:  "He  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life; 
but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  John  3  :  36.  To 
which  another  threatening  echoes  with  a  like  terrible  voice : 
"He  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned."  Mark  16  :  16. 
There  are  dreadful  things,  you  see,  threatened  in  the  gospel 
against  unbelievers  ;  but  what  is  the  design  of  those  threat- 
enings,  but  to  rouse  men  by  fear  out  of  their  imbelief  and 
security,  and  guide  them  to  Christ  ?  Thus  both  the  prom- 
ises and  the  threatenings,  though  of  far  different  natures, 
conspire  and  meet  in  the  selfsame  design,  even  to  open  the 
heart  to  Christ  by  faith. 

(3.)  For  the  sake  of  this  design,  all  gospel  ordinances 
and  officers  are  instituted  and  continued  in  the  world  to  this 
day.  Why  did  Christ  at  his  triumphant  ascension  shed  forth 
such  a  variety  of  gifts  upon  men,  but  that  God  might  dwell 
among  them  ?  "  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast  led 
captivity  captive  :  thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men ;  yea,  for 
the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among 
them."  Psalm  68  :  18.  The  whole  frame  of  gospel  ordi- 
nances is  set  up  to  bring  men  to  Christ,  and  build  them  up 
in  liim.     Eph.  4:12. 

(4,)  All  the  scripture  records  of  converted  sinners,  whose 
hearts  God  hath  in  any  age  opened,  were  made  to  encourage 
other  souls  by  their  example  to  believe  in  or  open  unto 
Christ  as  they  did.  For  this  purpose  the  memorable  con- 
version of  Paul  was  graciously  recorded.  "  Howbeit,  for 
this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first  Jesus  Christ 


258  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

might  show  forth  all  long-sufTering,  for  a  pattern  to  them 
that  should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting." 
1  Tim.  1  :  16.  Never  was  any  man's  heart  bolted  and 
made  fast  with  stronger  prejudices  against  Christ  than  this 
man's  was ;  yet  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  opened  it.  0  how 
flexible  became  his  will :  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me 
to  do  ?"  Acts  9:6.  This  gives  great  encouragement  to 
other  sinners  to  come  to  Christ  as  he  did;  and  therefore 
when  men  see  other  sinners  receiving  Christ,  and  themselves 
continue  unbelieving,  the  examples  which  God  has  set  before 
their  eyes  are  a  dreadful  aggravation  of  their  unbelief 
"  John  came  unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye 
believed  him  not :  but  the  pubHcans  and  the  harlots  believed 
him  ;  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterwards, 
that  ye  might  beheve  him."  Matt.  21  :  32.  Though  you 
saw  publicans,  reputed  the  worst  of  men,  and  harlots,  the 
worst  of  women,  convinced,  humbled,  and  brought  to  faith, 
these  sights  affected  not  your  souls  ;  you  never  had  one  such 
reflection  as  this  :  Lord,  have  not  I  as  much  need  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  seek  the  salvation  of  my  soul, 
as  these  ?  Will  it  not  be  a  dreadful  aggravation  of  my  mis- 
ery, that  such  as  these  should  obtain  Christ  and  heaven, 
and  I  be  shut  out  ? 

(5.)  The  opening  of  the  heart  to  Christ  is  the  very  end 
and  errand  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  upon  whose  concurrence 
and  blessing  the  success  of  all  ordinances  depends  ;  upon  this 
design  he  is  sent  expressly  from  heaven  to  open  the  under- 
standing and  consciences  of  sinners  by  conviction.  John 
16  :  9.  For  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  word  alone  to  pro- 
duce this  eflect ;  thousands  of  excellent  sermons  may  be 
preached,  and  not  one  heart  opened  by  conviction. 

What  remains  is  the  application  of  this  doctrine. 

Inference  1.  If  the  opening  of  the  heart  to  Christ  be 
the  direct  intention  of  the  gospel,  hoiv  are  they  deceived  ivho 
are  satisfied  ifi  the  attainment  of  some  lesser  end,  while  the 


THE  HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  259 

effectual  iicrmiauon  of  the  ivill  to  Christ  is  not  at  all  effect- 
ed in  them.  There  are  some  collateral  eflects,  as  I  may 
call  them,  which  the  gospel  has  upon  men.  It  would  pain 
a  considerate  man  to  see  how  sinners  fill  them.selves  with  a 
false  happiness  in  these  lesser  things,  while  they  still  remain 
in  the  state  of  unregeneracy.  I  would  fain  undeceive  such 
mistaken  souls  who  bow  down  under  the  power  of  self- 
deceit,  and  that  in  a  point  in  which  their  eternal  salvation 
is  concerned.  There  are  two  things  which  are  apt  to  deceive 
men  in  this  matter  ;  these  are,  partial  convictions  on  the 
understanding,  and  transient  motions  on  the  affections.  In 
these  things  multitudes  deceive  themselves,  as  if  the  whole 
design  of  the  gospel  were  accomplished  upon  them  therein. 

(1.)  Partial  convictions  of  the  understanding — light  and 
knowledge  breaking  into  the  mind,  producing  orthodoxy  of 
judgment :  this  seems  to  some  the  effectual  opening  of  the 
understanding  to  Christ,  though  alas,  to  this  day  they  never 
saw  sin  in  its  vileness,  much  less  their  own  special  sin  ;  nor 
Christ  in  his  suitableness  and  necessity.  People  who  live 
under  the  gospel  can  hardly  avoid  the  improvement  of  their 
understandings  by  the  light  that  shines  upon  thein ;  know- 
ledge grows,  their  faculties  expand,  and  they  can  talk  well 
on  religion  and  ably  defend  it.  Perhaps  they  can  even  pray 
with  commendable  variety  and  largeness  of  expression  : 
these  things  gain  applause  from  men,  and  excite  confidence 
in  themselves,  while  no  saving  influences  are  shed  down  to 
quicken,  change,  and  spiritualize  the  heart. 

(2.)  There  are  transient  motions  and  touches  of  the  gospel 
upon  the  affections,  which  give  some  men  melting  pangs 
and  moods  now  and  then  under  the  word,  though  it  never 
settles  into  a  spiritual  frame,  an  habitual  heavenliness  of 
temper  ;  of  such  the  apostle  speaks,  Heb.  .6  :  5.  And  this 
is  the  more  dangerous,  because  they  now  seem  to  have 
attained  all  that  is  essential  to  religion,  or  necessary  to  sal- 
vation.    For  when  to  the  light  of  their  understandings  there 


260  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

are  added  melting  affections,  a  man  seems  to  himself  com- 
plete in  all  that  the  gospel  requires  to  the  being  and  consti- 
tution of  a  Christian,  as  a  great  divine,  Mr.  Burgess,  speaks. 
Thus  men  are  apt  to  reason  :  If  I  had  only  light  in  my 
mind,  and  never  found  any  meltings  of  my  affections,  I 
might  justly  suspect  myself  to  be  a  hypocrite  ;  but  there  are 
times  when  my  affections,  as  well  as  my  understanding, 
seem  to  feel  the  power  of  the  gospel.  And  yet  these  things 
may  be  where  the  heart  never  effectually  opens  to  Christ  ; 
all  this  may  be  but  a  morning  dew,  or  an  early  cloud  that 
vanisheth  away ;  as  is  plain  in  John's  hearers,  John  5  :  35, 
and  in  Paul's  hearers.  Gal.  4  :  14,  15.  For  except  the 
convictions  of  the  understanding  are  effectual,  and  the  mo- 
tions upon  the  affections  settled  to  a  heavenly  habit  and 
temper,  the  man  is  but  where  he  was  before  as  to  the  real 
condition  of  his  soul.  Were  thy  understanding  so  convinced 
of  the  evil  nature  and  dreadful  consequences  of  sin,  and  thy 
affections  and  will  thereupon  so  effectually  determined  to 
embrace  the  Lord  Jesus,  upon  a  considerate  and  thorough 
examination  of  his  terms  propounded  in  the  gospel,  then 
thou  mightest  conclude  the  great  design  of  it  was  accom- 
plished upon  thy  soul ;  but  to  rest  in  general  convictions  and 
transient  affections  without  this,  is  but  to  mock  and  deceive 
thy  own  soul.  Alas,  this  comes  not  home  to  the  main  end 
of  the  gospel. 

2.  Learn  from  hence  the  jn'odigious  stubbornness  and 
Jiardness  of  the  hearts  of  men  living  under  the  gospel, 
which  still  resist  it.  You  have  heard  how  all  its  commands, 
promises,  threatenings,  and  examples  bear  directly  and 
jointly  upon  the  hearts  of  sinners  to  open  the  will  to  Christ ; 
yet  how  few  comparatively  obey  and  answer  this  great 
design  of  it.  All  these  are  like  heaven's  great  artillery 
planted  against  the  unbelief  and  stubbornness  of  men,  to 
batter  down  their  carnal  reasonings,  overthrow  their  vain 
hopes,  and  open  a  fair  passage  for  Christ  into  their  souls. 


THE   HEART   OPENED  BY  FAITH.  261 

"  For  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty 
through  God  to  the  pulHng  down  of  strongholds  ;  casting 
down  imaginations,  and  every  thing  that  exalteth  itself 
against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity 
every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  2  Cor.  10  :  4,  5. 
If  a  mound  be  raised,  and  many  cannon  planted  thereon, 
and  all  are  played  against  the  wall  of  a  fort,  thousands  of 
shots  made  and  yet  no  breach,  not  one  stone  moved  out  of 
its  place,  you  will  say  that  is  a  strong  wall  indeed.  Belov- 
ed, God  hath,  as  I  may  say,  raised  a  mound  in  the  gospel, 
planted  the  great  ordnance  of  heaven  upon  it,  discharged 
many  dreadful  volleys  of  threatenings ;  nay,  he  hath,  as  it 
were,  come  under  the  walls  of  the  unbelieving  soul  with 
terms  of  mercy,  and  yet  there  is  no  opening.  0  prodigious 
obstinacy.  "  We  have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not 
danced ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not 
lamented."  Matt.  11  :  17.  Neither  the  sweet  airs  of  gos- 
pel grace,  nor  the  dreadful  thunders  of  the  law,  make  any 
impression  upon  you.  0  what  an  obdurate  rock  is  the  heart 
by  nature.  Certainly,  every  Christian  may  see  enough  in 
others,  and  find  enough  in  himself,  without  the  help  of  other 
books,  to  confute  the  doctrine  which  extols  and  flatters  the 
nature  of  man.  It  is  as  easy  to  make  an  impression  with 
your  finger  upon  a  wall  of  brass,  as  for  the  best  sermon  in 
the  world,  in  its  own  strength,  to  make  a  saving  impression 
upon  a  sinner's  will. 

3.  Is  it  the  great  design  of  the  gospel  to  open  the  hearts 
of  men  to  Christ  ?  Then  wonder  not  that  it  meets  toith 
such  strong  and  fierce  opposition  from  Satan,  ivherever  it 
is  sincerely  and  poiverfidly  preached.  As  for  general  and 
formal  preaching,  which  comes  not  to  the  quick,  Satan  is 
not  so  much  concerned  about  it ;  he  knows  it  will  do  him 
no  great  damage  ;  nay,  it  secures  his  interests  in  the  souls 
of  men.  But  wherever  the  gospel  comes  with  power,  lay- 
ing the  axe  to  the  root,  showing  men  the  vanity  of  their 


262  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

ungrounded  hopes,  pressing  the  necessity  of  regeneration  and 
faith,  this  preaching  quickly  gives  alarm  to  hell,  and  raises 
all  manner  of  opposition  against  it.  "  What  is  it  to  preach 
the  gospel,"  saith  Luther,  "but  to  drive  the  rage  and  fury 
of  the  whole  world  upon  us?"  Satan  is  the  god  of  this 
world,  all  men  by  nature  are  his  subjects  :  no  prince  is  more 
jealous  of  the  revolt  of  his  subjects  than  he  ;  and  it  is  time 
for  him  to  bestir  himself,  w^hen  the  gospel  comes  to  dethrone 
him,  as  it  does  in  the  faithful  preaching  of  it.  "  Now  is  the 
judgment  of  this  world ;  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world 
be  cast  out."  John  12:31.  Now  he  falls  as  lightning 
from  heaven.  Luke  10:18.  Now  sinners  are  made  sensi- 
ble of  the  cruel  tyranny  and  bondage  of  Satan's  government, 
and  of  the  glorious  liberty  offered  to  them  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Satan  suspecting  the  issue  of  these  things,  bestirs  himself  to 
purpose.  0  what  showers  of  calumnies  and  storms  of  per- 
secution does  he  pour  on  Christ's  faithful  ambassadors. 
Certainly  he  owes  Christ's  ministers  a  spite,  and  they  shall 
know  and  feel  it,  if  ever  he  get  them  within  the  compass  of 
his  chain.  But  let  this  discourage  none  employed  in  this 
glorious  design ;  the  Lord  is  with  them  to  protect  their  per- 
sons and  reward  their  diligence. 

4.  If  the  opening  of  the  heart  be  the  main  design  of  the 
gospel,  Christ  and  faith  ought  to  he  the  p'incipal  subjects 
that  ministers  should  insist  on  among  their  'peoi:ile.  There 
are  many  other  useful  doctrines  which  ought  to  be  opened 
and  pressed  in  their  time  and  place.  Moral  duties  have 
their  excellencies,  but  Christ  and  faith  are  the  great  things 
we  are  to  preach.  Let  men  be  once  brought  to  Christ,  and 
the  rest  will  follow  ;  but  to  begin  and  end  with  morality, 
will  never  make  men  gospel  Christians.  Grace  teaches 
morality.  Tit.  2:11,  12 ;  but  moraUty  without  grace  saves 
no  man.  It  has  been  a  grand  artifice  of  the  devil  to  con- 
found grace  with  morality,  and  make  men  believe  that 
nothing  more  is  required  for  men's  salvation,  than  a  civil, 


THE   HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  263 

sober  conversation  in  the  world,  and  so  lay  aside  the  princi- 
pal part  of  the  gospel,  which  opens  and  presses  the  necessity 
of  regeneration,  repentance,  and  faith  in  the  hlood  of  Christ. 
Such  preaching  as  this  answers  not  the  design  of  Christ  in 
the  conversion  of  souls ;  such  preaching  disturbs  not  the 
consciences  of  men  :  the  Lord  help  all  his  ambassadors  to 
mind  the  example  and  charge  of  their  Redeemer,  and  laying 
aside  all  carnal  interest,  to  apply  themselves  faithfully  unto 
the  souls  and  consciences  of  their  hearers,  not  as  men-pleas- 
ers,  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ.     Gal.  1  :  10. 

5.  In  the  next  place,  this  doctrine  is  of  excellent  use  to 
convince  men  of  the  damning  nature  of  the  sin  of  unbe- 
lief— a  sin  which  frustrates  the  main  design  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ  on  the  unbehever's  soul.  This  is  the  sin  that 
keeps  the  heart  fast  shut  against  him.  As  faith  is  the  rad- 
ical grace,  so  unbelief  is  the  radical  sin.  It  is  the  traitor's 
gate,  through  which  those  souls  pass  that  are  to  perish  for 
ever.  The  gospel  can  do  you  no  good,  the  blood  of  Christ 
can  jdeld  no  saving  benefit,  while  your  souls  remain  under 
the  dominion  of  this  sin.  When  we  consider  the  mighty 
arguments  of  the  gospel,  we  may  wonder  that  all  who  hear 
them  are  not  immediately  persuaded  to  Christ  by  them. 
And  on  the  other  hand,  when  we  consider  the  mighty 
power  of  unbelief,  how  strongly  it  holds  the  soul  in  bondage 
to  sin,  we  may  wonder  that  any  soul  is  brought  over  to 
Christ  even  by  the  gospel.  It  was  not  without  cause  that 
the  apostle  puts  faith  in  Christ  among  the  great  mysteries 
of  the  gospel.  1  Tim.  3  :  16.  The  intrinsic  evil  and  fearful 
consequences  of  this  sin  of  unbelief  will  appear  in  these 
three  particulars. 

(1.)  It  fixes  the  guilt  of  all  other  sins  on  the  'person  of 
the  unbeliever;  it  binds  them  all  fast  on  his  soul  :  "  For  if 
ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your    sins." 
John  8  :  24.     It  were  better  for  thee  to  die  any  other  death. 
What  more  terrible  can  God  threaten,  or  man  feel  ?     This 


264  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

is  the  sin  that  makes  the  death  of  Christ  of  none  effect  to 
us.  Gal.  5  :  4.  There  is  indeed  a  sovereign  virtue  in  the 
blood  of  Christ  to  pardon  sin,  but  thy  soul  cannot  have  the 
benefit  of  it  while  it  remains  under  the  dominion  of  this 
sin.  As  it  was  said  of  the  inhabitants  of  Nazareth  in  their 
treatment  of  Christ,  "  He  did  not  many  mighty  works 
there,  because  of  their  unbelief,"  Matt.  13  :  58  ;  so  none  of 
his  spiritual  works,  no  ordinances  can  do  thy  soul  good, 
until  the  Lord  break  the  power  of  this  sin.  "  The  word 
preached  did  not  profit  them,  not  being  mixed  with  faith  in 
them  that  heard  it."  Heb.  4:2.  If  a  man  were  danger- 
ously sick,  or  wounded,  the  best  medicines  could  never 
recover  him,  unless  received  and  ajiplied.  Unbelief  pours 
the  most  sovereign  cordials  of  the  gospel  as  water  upon  the 
ground.  The  greatest  sins  ever  committed  might  be  par- 
doned, did  not  this  sin  lie  in  the  way;  were  this  gone,  all 
the  rest  were  gone  too  :  but  while  unbelief  remains,  they 
also  remain  upon  thee. 

(2.)  Of  all  the  sins  that  are  upon  the  souls  of  men,  this 
is  the  most  difficult  to  be  removed.  Other  sins  lie  open  to 
conviction,  but  this  has  the  most  specious  pretences  to  coun- 
tenance it.  Men  commit  this  sin  out  of  a  fear  of  sin.  They 
will  not  believe,  lest  they  should  presume  ;  they  dare  not 
believe,  because  they  are  not  qualified.  The  strength  of 
other  sins  meets  in  this  sin  of  unbelief:  it  is  the  strongest 
fort  wherein  Satan  trusts.  Take  an  adulterer,  or  a  profane 
swearer,  and  you  have  an  open  way  to  convince  him  of  his 
sin  :  show  him  the  command  he  has  violated,  and  he  has 
nothing  to  say  in  his  own  defence  ;  but  the  unbeliever  has 
a  thousand  plausible  defences. 

(3.)  This  is  the  great  damning  sin  of  the  ivorld.  All 
other  sins  deserve  damnation,  "for  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death,"  but  this  is  the  sin  in  consequence  of  wliich  other 
sins  damn  and  ruin  the  soul.  "  This  is  the  condemnation." 
John  3:19.     And  it  is  a  sin  which  damns  with  aggravated 


THE   HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  265 

ruin.  2  Thess.  1:8.  0  then,  let  us  mourn  over  and  trem- 
ble at  this  dreadful  sin,  which  opposes  and  so  often  frustrates 
the  great  design  of  the  whole  gospel. 

6.  Is  it  the  main  scope  of  the  gospel  to  bring  men  to 
Christ  by  faith  ?  then  be  persuaded  heartily  to  cmnply  with 
this  great  design  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  minis- 
ters, orditmnces,  and  providences,  in  opening  your  hearts 
to  receive  ChHst  this  day  hy  faith  unfeigned.  0  that  I 
could  suitably  press  this  great  point,  which  falls  in  so  directly 
with  the  main  scope  of  the  whole  gospel :  and  0  that  while 
I  am  pressing  it,  you  would  lift  up  a  hearty  cry  to  heaven, 
Lord,  give  me  faith,  whatever  else  thou  deniest  me  ;  open 
my  heart  to  Christ  under  the  gospel  calls.  I  not  only  press 
you  to  a  general  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  that 
Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  and  laid  down  his  life  for  sin- 
ners, but  to  a  hearty  consent  to  receive  him  upon  gospel 
terms — to  close  with  him  in  all  his  offices,  subjecting  heart 
and  life  to  his  authority,  living  entirely  upon  him  for  right- 
ousness  and  to  him  by  hohness.  The  value  of  such  a  faith 
as  this  is  above  all  estimation.     For, 

(1.)  This  is  the  grace  which  God  has  dignified  and 
crowned  with  glory  and  honor  above  all  its  fellow-graces. 
Its  praises  are  m  all  the  Scriptures.  It  is  called  precious 
faith,  2  Pet.  1:1;  soul-enriching  faith,  Jas.  2:5.  That 
is  a  poor  soul  indeed  that  is  destitute  of  it,  whatever  the 
gifts  of  providence  have  been  to  him.  And  he  is  truly  rich 
to  whom  God  has  given  faith,  whatever  he  has  denied  him 
of  the  comforts  of  this  life.  This  Christ  calls  the  work  of 
God  :  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe."  John 
6  :  29.  So  are  all  other  things  that  your  eyes  behold  the 
works  of  God  ;  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  sun,  the  moon,  and 
stars,  are  his  handiwork.  True,  but  this  is  the  work,  the 
most  glorious  and  admirable  work  of  God,  excelUng  all  his 
other  works.     And, 

(2.)  That  wliich  exalts  it  not  only  above  all  the  works 

riirist    Knocking.  1  2 


266  CHRIST   KNOCKma  AT   THE   DOOE,. 

of  God's  hands,  but  even  above  its  fellow-graces  the  work 
of  his  Spirit,  is  the  high  office  to  which  it  is  appointed  in  the 
justification  of  a  sinner.  God  has  singled  out  this  from  all 
the  other  graces,  to  be  the  instrument  of  receiving  and  ap- 
plying the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  the  justification  of  a 
guilty  soul.  You  are  never  said  to  be  justified  by  love,  hope, 
or  desire,  but  by  faith.  E,om.  5:1.  It  is  true,  all  other 
graces  are  supposed  in  the  person  justified  ;  but  none  appre- 
hends and  applies  the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  justifica- 
tion, but  this  only.  And  the  justifying  act  of  faith  being  a 
receiving  act,  the  glory  of  God  is  therein  secured  :  "  There- 
fore it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by  grace."     Rom.  4:16. 

(3.)  The  grace  of  faith  which  I  am  now  recommending 
to  you,  is  not  only  the  instrument  of  your  justification,  but 
the  bond  of  your  union  with  Christ :  "  That  Christ  may 
dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith."  Eph.  3  :  17.  It  is  the 
uniting  grace ;  it  is  that  which  gives  interest  in  and  title 
to  the  person  and  benefits  of  Christ ;  the  great  thing  upon 
which  the  eyes  of  all  awakened  sinners  are  intently  and 
solicitously  fixed.  Whatever  views  you  have  of  an  interest 
in  Christ,  and  whatever  his  benefits  are  worth  in  your  eyes, 
neither  himself  nor  they  can  ever  be  obtained  without  faith. 
0  brethren,  there  is  a  day  coming  when  they  that  now 
neglect  this  concern  of  their  souls,  would  gladly  part  with 
ten  thousand  worlds  for  the  friendship  of  Christ,  could  it  be 
purchased  therewith ;  but  it  is  faith  that  entitles  you  to 
Christ  and  to  his  benefits. 

(4.)  That  which  should  yet  more  endear  this  grace  of 
faith  to  you  is,  that  it  is  the  haiid  which  receives  your  par- 
don from  the  hand  of  Christ,  the  messenger  that  brings 
pardon  to  a  trembling  sinner.  "  By  him  all  that  believe 
are  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  they  could  not  be 
justified  by  the  law  of  Moses."  Acts  13  :  39,  They  are 
cleared  from  all  those  sins  from  which  the  law  could  never 
clear  them,  nor  any  repentance,  restitution,  or  obedience  of 


THE   HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  267 

their  own  without  faith.  0  what  a  welcome  messenger  is 
faith,  and  what  joyfu]  tidings  does  it  bring  I  you  will  say  so  if 
you  have  felt  the  efficacy  of  the  law  upon  your  conscience — 
if  you  have  lain,  as  some  sinners  have,  with  a  cold  hor- 
ror on  your  panting  bosoms,  under  the  apprehensions  of  the 
wrath  of  God.  This  fruit  of  faith  is  rather  to  be  admired 
than  expressed.     Psa.  32  :  1. 

(5.)  Faith  is  not  only  the  messenger  that  brings  you  a  par- 
don from  heaven,  but  it  is,  as  I  may  say,  the  heavenly  herald 
that  publishes  peace  to  the  sinner.  0  iJcace,  how  sweet  a 
word  art  thou  ;  how  welcome  to  a  poor  condemned  sinner  I 
"  Beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that 
bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace."  Isa.  52  :  7. 
It  is  faith  that  brings  this  blessed  news  and  publishes  it  in 
the  soul,  without  which  all  the  publishers  of  peace  without 
us  can  administer  but  little  support.  Rom.  5:1.  Faith 
brings  the  soul  out  of  the  storms  with  which  it  was  tossed, 
into  a  sweet  rest :  "  We  which  have  believed  do  enter  into 
rest."  Heb.  4:3.  Is  the  quiet  harbor  welcome  to  weather- 
beaten  seamen,  after  they  have  passed  furious  storms  and 
many  fears  on  the  raging  sea  ?  0  hov/  welcome  then  must 
peace  be  to  the  soul  that  hath  been  tossed  on  the  tempestuous 
ocean  of  its  own  fears,  blown  up  and  incensed  by  the  terri- 
ble blasts  of  the  law  and  of  conscience.  It  was  a  com- 
fortable sight  to  Noah  and  his  family,  to  see  an  olive-leaf  in 
the  mouth  of  the  dove,  by  which  they  knew  the  waters 
were  abated.  But  what  is  it  to  hear  such  a  voice  as  this 
from  the  mouth  of  faith:  "Fury  is  not  in  me,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  his  anger  is  turned  away,  and  he  comforteth  thee  ?" 
Isa.  12  :  1.     Fear  not  thou,  the  God  of  peace  is  thy  God. 

(6.)  Faith  not  only  brings  the  soul  into  a  calm,  but  opens 
to  it  a  door  of  access  into  the  gracious  presence  of  God; 
without  it  there  is  no  coming  to  him  acceptably  :  "  He  that 
Cometh  unto  God  must  believe."  Heb.  11:6.  This  access 
to  God  is  indeed  the  purchase  of  the  blood  of  Christ ;  but 


268  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

faith  is  the  grace  that  brings  the  soul  actually  into  the 
presence  of  God,  and  there  helps  it  to  ease  its  griefs,  and 
with  holy  freedom  to  make  known  its  grievances,  fears,  and 
burdens  to  the  Lord.  This  world  were  not  worth  living  in 
without  such  a  blessed  relief  to  our  troubles.  The  behever 
only  has  the  key  that  opens  the  door  of  access  unto  G  od  ;  if  he 
has  sins,  wants,  burdens,  afflictions,  or  temptations,  here  he 
can  lay  them  down.  Ah,  Christian,  the  time  may  come  when 
thy  heart  may  be  filled  with  sorrows,  and  there  may  not  be 
found  a  person  of  thy  acquaintance  in  all  the  world  to  whom 
thou  canst  turn  to  relieve  thy  sorrows.  Blessed  be  God  for 
faith ;  0  the  ease  that  the  act  of  faith  gives  to  a  troubled 
soul.  Well  may  it  be  said,  "The  just  shall  live  by  his 
faith."  Hab.  2  :  4.  How  can  we  imagine  we  should  live 
without  it  ?  Our  afflictions  and  temptations  would  swallow 
us  up,  were  it  not  for  the  sweet  assiduous  reliefs  that  come 
in  by  faith. 

(7.)  And  yet  further  to  inflame  your  desires  after  faith, 
this  is  the  grace  that  gives  you  the  soul-reviving  sights  of 
the  invisible  world,  without  which  this  world  would  be  a 
dungeon  to  us.  It  is  not  only  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  but  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  Heb.  11:1. 
0  it  is  a  precious  eye  :  how  transporting  are  those  visions  of 
faith.  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love  ;  in  whom,  though 
now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."  1  Pet.  1  :  8.  We  who  preach 
of  heaven  to  you,  cannot  show  you  the  glorious  person  of 
Christ  there,  nor  the  thrones  and  crowns  that  are  above  ; 
but  faith  can  make  these  things  visible.  That  is  an  eye 
which  can  penetrate  the  clouds,  and  show  to  you  him  that 
is  invisible.     Heb.  11  :  27. 

(8.)  The  grace  of  faith,  which  I  am  now  recommending 
to  you,  is  instrumentally  the  sustenance  of  your  souls  in  this 
world :  "  The  just  shall  live  by  his  faith."  Hab.  2  :  4. 
When  God  gives  a  man  faith,  he  gives  it  to  him  to  sustain 


THE  HEART  OPENED  BY  FAITH.  269 

his  life,  and  expects  him  to  live  upon  it  while  he  lives  in 
this  vi^oiid.  He  has  made  plentiful  provision  for  your  souls, 
when  he  has  given  them  faith,  and  furnished  such  a  variety 
of  precious  promises  for  it  to  feed  upon.  Abraham,  Moses, 
David,  and  all  the  saints,  lived  on  no  other  provision  but 
what  faith  brought  in ;  and  at  what  an  excellent  rate  did 
they  live.  Here  man  eateth  angels'  food.  It  is  a  store- 
house of  provision,  it  is  a  shop  of  cordials  :  "I  had  fainted 
•unless  I  had  believed."  Psa.  27  :  13.  A  believer  lives  the 
highest  life  of  all  men  on  earth  ;  and  as  his  soul  is  daily  fed 
by  faith,  so  all  his  other  graces  are  maintained  and  daily 
supported  by  the  provision  faith  brings  them  in.  The  other 
graces,  like  the  young  birds  in  the  nest,  live  upon  the  pro- 
vision this  grace  of  faith  gathers  for  them.  Take  away 
faith,  and  you  starve  the  soul  of  a  Christian.  Will  not  all 
this  engage  your  desire  after  faith  ? 

(9.)  Consider  also,  that  this  is  the  grace  whereby  we  die 
safely  as  well  as  live  comfortably  :  as  you  cannot  live  com- 
fortably without  faith  in  this  world,  so  neither  can  you  die 
safely  or  comfortably  wdthout  it,  when  you  go  out  of  the 
world.  "  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the 
promises  ;  but  having  seen  them  afar  off,  and  were  per- 
suaded of  them,  and  embraced  them."  Heb.  11  :  13.  These 
excellent  persons  all  died  embracing  the  promises  in  the 
arms  of  their  faith.  An  allusion  to  two  dear  friends  em- 
bracing each  other  at  their  parting.  0  precious  promises, 
says  the  dying  believer  ;  of  what  unspeakable  benefit  have 
you  been  to  me  all  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage.  To  you  I 
was  wont  to  turn  in  all  my  troubles  and  distresses  ;  but  I 
am  now  going  into  the  life  of  immediate  vision :  farewell 
blessed  promises,  scriptures,  ordinances,  and  communion  of 
saints  on  earth ;  I  shall  walk  no  more  by  faith,  but  by 
sight. 

(10.)  In  a  word,  this  is  the  grace  that  saves  you  :  "  By 
grace  are  ye  saved,  tlirough  faith."  Eph.  2  :  8.     Your  salva- 


270  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOH. 

tion  is  the  fruit  of  free-grace  ;  but  grace  itself  will  not  save 
you  in  any  other  method  but  that  of  believing.  The  grace 
of  God  runs  through  the  channel  of  faith ;  faith  is  the  grace 
that  espouses  your  soul  to  Christ  here,  and  accompanies 
you  every  step  of  the  way  until  you  come  to  its  full  enjoy- 
ment in  heaven,  and  then  it  is  lost  in  vision.  It  embarks  you 
with  Christ,  and  pilots  you  through  the  dangerous  seas,  till 
you  drop  anchor  in  the  haven  of  everlasting  rest  and  safety  ; 
where  you  receive  the  "end  of  your  faith,  the  salvation  of 
your  souls."  0  then,  in  consideration  of  the  incomparable 
worth  and  absolute  necessity  of  this  grace,  make  it  your 
great  study,  make  it  your  constant  cry  to  heaven,  night  and 
day.  Lord,  give  me  a  believing  heart,  a  heart  opening  to 
Jesus  Christ.  If  you  fail  of  this,  you  come  short  of  the 
great  design  of  the  whole  gospel,  which  is  to  bring  you  to 
faith,  and  by  faith  to  heaven. 


THE   aOSPEL  FEAST.  271 


CHAPTER   X. 

CHUIST   BEINGS   GEEAT   BLESSINGS   TO   THE 
SOUL   THAT   OPENS   TO   HIM. 

"IF  ANY  MAN  HEAR  IVIY  VOICE  AND  OPEN  THE  DOOR,  I  WILL 
COME  IN  TO  HIM,  AND  WILL  SUP  WITH  HIM,  AND  HE  WITH 
ME.''    Rev.  3: 20. 

In  the  former  chapters  we  have  considered  Christ's  suit 
for  a  sinner's  heart :  we  now  come  to  the  powerful  argu- 
ments and  motives  used  by  him  to  obtain  his  suit,  which  are 
two  :  first,  union,  "  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with 
him  ;"  and  second,  communion,  "  and  he  with  me." 

These  are  strong  and  mighty  arguments  and  encourage- 
ments, able,  one  would  think,  to  open  any  heart  in  the  world 
to  Christ :  and  yet  considering  how  the  hearts  of  men  are 
attached  to  their  lusts  and  riveted  in  their  sins,  until  the 
Spirit  come  upon  them  with  powerful  convictions  ;  and  when 
under  conviction,  what  discouragements  they  labor  under 
from  their  former  sinfulness  and  present  unworthiness,  all  is 
little  enough  to  bring  them  to  faith,  nay,  utterly  insuffi- 
cient, without  the  almighty  power  set  them  home  with  effect 
on  the  heart ;  for  it  is  not  mere  moral  suasion  will  do  the 
work.  It  is  true,  Christ  will  not  make  a  forcible  entrance 
into  the  soul,  he  will  come  in  by  consent  of  the  will ;  but  f 
the  will  consents  not,  until  it  feels  the  power  of  God  uponj 
it.  Psalm  110:3.  Almighty  power  opens  the  heart  and 
determines  the  will,  but  in  a  way  congruous  to  the  nature 
of  the  will.  "  I  drew  them  with  cords  of  a  man,  with  bands 
of  love."  Hos.  11  :4.  "When,  under  the  influence  of  this 
power,  the  soul  opens  to  Christ,  he  will  come  in,  take  that 
soul  for  his  everlasting  habitation,  refresh  and  feast  it  with 
the  sweetest  consolations  and  privileges  purchased  by  his 
blood  :  whence  the  tenth  doctrine  is, 


272  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE    DOOR. 

Christ  ivill  certainly  come  in  to  the  soul  that  ojoens  to 
him;  and  will  bring  rich  entertainment  luith  him.  "  I 
will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him." 

"When  the  prodigal,  the  emblem  of  a  convert,  returned 
to  his  father,  Luke  15  :  22,  his  father  not  only  received,  hut 
adorned  and  feasted  him.  In  opening  this  point,  I  shall 
show  what  Christ's  coming  into  the  soul  implies ;  how  it 
appears  that  Christ  will  come  in  to  the  opening  soul ;  what 
entertainment  he  brings  with  him  ;  and  why  he  thus  enter- 
tains the  soul  that  opens  to  him. 

I.  What  Christ's  coming  in  to  the  soul  implies  ;  and 
in  general  I  must  say  this  is  a  great  m.ystery,  which  will  not 
be  fully  understood  till  we  com.e  to  heaven  :  "At  that  day 
ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I 
in  you."  John  14  :  20.  Then  the  essential  union  of  Christ 
and  his  Father,  and  the  mystical  union  between  believers 
and  Christ,  will  be  more  clearly  understood  than  we  are 
capable  of  understanding  them  in  this  imperfect  state ;  yet 
for  the  present  so  much  is  discovered,  as  may  justly  astonish 
poor  sinners  at  the  marvellous  condescension  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  them.  More  particularly,  the  expression,  "  I  will 
come  in  to  him,"  imports  no  less  than  his  uniting  such  a 
soul  to  himself;  for  he  comes  in  with  a  design  to  dwell  in 
that  soul  by  faith,  Eph.  3  :  17 — to  make  such  a  man  a  mys- 
tical member  of  his  body,  flesh,  and  bones,  Eph.  5  :  30, 
which  is  the  highest  honor  the  soul  of  man  is  capable  of 
This  coming  of  Christ  into  the  soul  of  a  sinner  does  not 
indeed  make  him  one  person  with  Christ ;  that  is  the  singular 
honor  to  which  our  nature  was  advanced  by  Christ  in  his 
imiting  the  divine  nature  with  it.  But  this  makes  a  person 
mystically  one  with  Christ,  and  is  more  than  a  mere  federal 
union.  Christ's  coming  into  the  soul  signifies  more  than  his 
entering  into  covenant  with  it ;  for  it  is  taking  such  a  person 
into  a  mystical  union  with  himself,  by  imparting  his  Spirit 
unto  him.     As  the  vital  sap  of  the  stock  coming  into  the 


THE   GOSPEL  FEAST.  273 

graft,  makes  it  one  with  the  stock,  John  15:4,  so  the  com- 
ing of  Christ's  Spirit  into  the  soul  makes  it  a  member  of  his 
mystical  body ;  and  this  is  a  glorious  supernatural  work  of 
God,  1  Cor.  1  :  30,  most  honorable,  most  comfortable,  and 
for  ever  sure  and  indissoluble ;  as  I  have  more  fully  showed 
in  The  Method  of  Grace,* 

II.  I  shall  show  the  certainty  that  Christ  ivill  come 
in  icith  refreshments  and  comforts  to  every  soul  that  ojjens 
to  him.  No  former  rebellions  or  present  unworthiness  shall 
bar  out  Christ,  or  obstruct  his  entrance  into  such  a  soul. 
Whatever  thou  hast  been  or  done,  Christ  will  come  in  to  thee 
and  dwell  with  thee,  and  make  thy  soul  a  habitation  for  liim- 
self  through  the  Spirit.  Eph.  2  :  22.  Let  thy  heart  be 
open  to  him,  and  he  w^ill  both  fill  and  feast  thee,  notwith- 
standmg  all  thy  former  sins. 

I  know  it  is  a  common  discouragement  that  multitudes 
of  convinced  sinners  lie  under,  that  seeing  so  much  vileness 
in  their  nature  and  practice,  they  cannot  be  persuaded  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  will  cast  an  eye  of  favor  on  them,  much  less 
take  up  his  abode  in  them.  What,  dwell  in  such  a  heart  as 
mine,  which  has  been  a  habitation  of  devils,  a  sink  of  sin 
from  my  beginning  ?  this  is  hard  to  be  beheved.  But,  sin- 
ner, thou  hast  the  word  of  a  King  from  heaven  for  it,  a  word 
whose  credit  has  never  failed  from  the  first  moment  it  was 
spoken,  that  whatever  thy  former  or  present  unworthiness 
has  been,  or  is,  he  will  not  withhold  himself  from  such  a 
soul  as  thou  art,  if  thou  be  but  willing  to  open  to  him.  Thy 
great  unworthiness  shall  be  no  bar  to  his  union  with  thee. 
"  If  any  man  open,  I  will  come  in  to  him."     For, 

1.  If  personal  unw^orthiness  were  sufiicient  to  bar  Christ 
out  of  thy  soul,  it  w^ould  equally  bar  him  out  of  all  other 
souls,  for  all  are  unworthy  as  well  as  thyself.  Wherever 
Christ  finds  sinfulness,  he  finds  unworthiness ;  and  to  be 
sure  he  finds  this  wherever  he  comes.  Christ  never  expect- 
*  Published  by  the  American  Tract  Society. 
12=^ 


274  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

ed  to  find  worthiness  in  thee,  but  it  highly  pleases  him  to 
find  thee  under  a  becoming  sense  of  thy  un worthiness. 
"Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity,  that  thou  hast  trans- 
gressed against  the  Lord  thy  God."  Jer.  3  :  13.  The  re- 
turning prodigal  acknowledged  to  his  father,  I  am  not  worthy 
to  be  called  thy  son.  Luke  15  :  18,  19.  But  this  did  not 
hinder  his  acceptance  by  his  father.  All  that  come  to 
God  to  be  justified,  must  see  and  confess  their  own  vile- 
ness,  and  come  to  him  as  one  that  justifieth  the  ungodly. 
Rom.  4  :  5. 

2.  Thy  former  vileness  and  present  unworthiness  can  be 
no  bar  to  Christ's  entrance,  because  it  can  be  no  surjwise  to 
him.  He  knew  thou  wast  unworthy  when  he  made  the 
first  overture  of  grace  and  reconciliation  to  thee  ;  and  if  thy 
unworthiness  hindered  not  the  beginning  of  his  treaty  with 
thee,  it  shall  not  hinder  the  closing  act  in  his  union  with 
thee.  "  I  knew  that  thou  wouldest  deal  very  treacher- 
ously, and  wast  called  a  transgressor  from  the  womb." 
Isa.  48  : 8. 

3.  Christ  never  came  into  a  soul  icliere  Satan  had  not 
the  2)ossession  before  him.  Every  soul  in  which  Christ  now 
dwells  was  once  in  Satan's  possession.  "  To  turn  them 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God."  Acts  26  :  18.  "  When  a  strong  man  armed  keepeth 
his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace  ;  but  when  a  stronger  than 
he  shall  come  upon  him  and  overcome  him,  he  taketh  from 
him  all  his  armor  wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his 
spoil."     Luke  11  :21,  22. 

4.  Thy  present  unworthiness  can  be  no  bar  to  Christ's 
entrance  into  thy  soul,  because  Christ  never  objected  to  any 
m.an  his  unioorthiness,  but  only  his  unwillingness  to  come 
to  him.  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have 
life,"  John  5  :  40.  And  again,  "How  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her 
chickens    under    her    wings,   and  ye   would    not."      Matt. 


THE   aOSPEL  FEAST.  275 

23  :37.  You  find  something  like  a  repulse  from  Christ  to 
the  poor  Canaanitcss  :  "  Have  mercy  on  me,  0  Lord,"  said 
that  distressed  soul ;  "  but  he  answered  and  said,  it  is  not 
meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  to  cast  it  to  dogs." 
Matt.  15  :  22,  26.  However  harshly  these  words  sound,  it 
was  not  Christ's  intention  to  discourage  her  faith,  but  to 
draw  it  forth  to  a  more  intense  degree  ;  which  effect  was 
produced.     Verse  27. 

5.  Neither  would  Christ  have  made  the  tenders  of  mercy 
so  large  and  indefinite,  had  he  intended  to  shut  out  any 
soul  on  account  of  its  personal  unworthiness,  provided  it  be 
but  willing  to  come  to  him.  Cast  thine  eye,  discouraged 
soul,  on  Christ's  invitations  and  proclamations  of  mercy  in 
the  gospel,  and  see  if  thou  canst  find  any  thing  besides 
unwillingness  as  a  bar  between  thee  and  mercy  ;  hearken  to 
that  voice  of  mercy :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come 
ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  comie  ye, 
buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine,  and  m.ilk  without  money 
and  without  price ;"  that  is,  without  personal  desert  or 
w^orthiness.  Isa.  55:1.  So  again,  "The  Spirit  and  the 
bride  say,  Come ;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say,  Come  ;  and 
let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Rev.  22  :  17.  Here  you  see 
personal  unworthiness  is  no  obstacle  in  the  way  of  Christ. 
Once  more,  "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast, 
Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him 
come  unto  me  and  drink."  John  7:37.  Thus  you  see 
what  Christ's  coming  in  to  the  soul  is,  and  what  evidences 
there  are  that  when  the  soul  is  made  truly  willing,  Christ 
will  certainly  come  into  it ;  and  no  former  vileness  or  pres- 
ent unworthiness  shall  be  a  bar  to  obstruct  his  entrance. 

III.  I  shall  show  that  when  Christ  comes  in  to  the 
SOUL,  HE  \viLL  NOT  COME  EMPTY-HANDED.  It  is  Christ's  mar- 
riage-day,  and  he  will  make  it  a  good  day,  a  festival  day ; 
brinfrino^  such  comforts  with  him  as  the  soul  never  tasted 


276  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

before.  He  spreads  a  table  and  furnishes  it  witli  the  deli- 
cacies of  heaven.  "  I  will  sup  with  him,"  saith  the  text. 
What  those  spiritual  mercies  are  wliich  Christ  brings  with 
him  to  the  opening  soul,  comes  next  in  order  to  be  spoken 
of     And, 

1.  When  Christ  comes  in  to  the  soul  of  a  sinner,  he 
brings  a  pardon  with  him — a  full,  free,  and  final  pardon  of 
all  the  sins  which  that  soul  has  ever  committed.  This  is  a 
feast  of  itself,  good  cheer  indeed  ;  Christ  thought  it  to  be  so 
when  he  told  the  poor  palsied  man,  "  Son,  be  of  good  cheer  ; 
thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee."  Matt.  9  :  2.  He  does  not  say, 
Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  palsy  is  cured,  and  thy  body  recovered 
from  the  grave  ;  but,  "be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  for- 
given." 0  how  sweetly  may  the  pardoned  soul  feed  upon 
this.  And  this  is  not  a  mercy  designed  for  some  special 
favorites,  hut  what  is  common  to  all  believers.  "By  him 
all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things."  Acts  13  :  39. 
Christ  and  pardon  come  tpgether  ;  and  without  a  pardon  no 
mercy  would  relish  :  neither  feast  nor  music,  neither  money 
nor  honor  bring  any  comfort  to  a  condemned  man ;  but  the 
comfort  of  a  pardon  reaches  to  the  very  heart.  "  Comfort 
ye,  comfort  ye  my  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye  com- 
fortably to  Jerusalem,"  Isa.  40  : 1,  2  ;  or,  as  in  the  Hebrew, 
"speak  to  the  heart  of  Jerusalem."  But  what  are  the  ingre- 
dients of  that  cordial  that  will  comfort  Jerusalem's  heart  ? 
"  Cry  unto  her,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned."  That  carries 
with  it  the  spirit  of  all  consolation. 

There  are  three  things  in  the  pardon  of  sin  which  make 
it  the  sweetest  mercy  the  soul  ever  tasted ;  comfort  which 
is  impossible  to  be  communicated  to  another  as  the  pardon- 
ed soul  has  it.     Rev.  2:17. 

(1.)  One  thing  which  makes  the  pardon  of  sin  sweet,  is 
the  trouble  that  went  before  it.  The  laborings  and  restless 
tossings  of  the  troubled  soul,  before  his  pardon,  make  the 
ease  and  peace  that  follow  it  incomparably  sweet.     As  the 


THE   GOSPEL  FEAST.  277 

bitterness  of  hell  was  tasted  in  the  sorrows  of  sin,  so  the 
sweetness  of  heaven  is  tasted  in  the  pardon  of  it. 

(2.)  Tlie  nature  of  the  mercy  itself  is  incomparably- 
sweet,  for  it  is  a  mercy  of  the  first  rank.  Pardon  is  a  mercy 
which  admits  no  comfort  before  it,  nor  can  any  just  cause  of 
discouragement  follow  it.  If  God  has  not  spoken  pardon  to 
the  soul,  it  can  have  no  settled  ground  for  joy.  Ezek. 
33  :  10.  And  if  he  has,  there  can  be  no  just  ground  for 
dejection,  whatever  troubles  lie  upon  it.  "  The  inhabitant 
shall  not  say,  I  am  sick  ;  the  people  that  dwell  therein  shall 
be  forgiven  their  iniquities."     Isa.  33  :  24. 

(3.)  This  mercy  is  made  sweet  to  the  soul  by  the  prop- 
erties of  it,  which  are  four  :  first,  Grod  writes  upon  thy  par- 
don,/ree;  it  is  mercy  wliich  costs  thee  nothing:  "Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace."  Rom.  3  :  24.  "  Thou  hast 
bought  me  no  sweet  cane  with  money,  neither  hast  thou 
filled  me  with  the  fat  of  thy  sacrifices  ;  but  thou  hast  made 
me  to  serve  with  thy  sins,  thou  hast  wearied  me  with  thine 
iniquities."  But,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions,  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember 
thy  sins."  Isa.  43  :  24,  25.  Second,  God  writes  upon  thy 
pardon, /^(^//,  as  well  as  free  ;  the  pardon  extends  to  all  the 
sins  thou  hast  ever  committed  :  "By  him  all  that  believe 
are  justified  from  all  things."  Acts  13  :  39.  The  sins  of 
thy  nature  and  practice ;  the  sins  of  thy  youth  and  riper 
age  ;  great  sins  and  lesser,  are  all  comprehended  within  thy 
pardon.  Thou  art  acquitted  not  from  one  only,  but  from 
all.  Certainly,  the  joy  of  heaven  must  come  down  hi  the 
mercy  of  remission.  What  a  feast  of  fat  things  with  mar- 
row is  this  single  mercy,  a  pardon  free  without  price,  full 
without  exception.  And  then,  third,  it  is  final,  without 
revocation ;  the  pardoned  soul  never  more  comes  into  con- 
demnation. Thine  iniquities  are  removed  from  thee  as  far 
as  the  east  is  from  the  west.  As  those  two  opposite  points 
can  never  meet,  so  the  pardoned  soul  and  its  pardoned  sins 


278  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

can  never  more  meet  mito  condemnation.  Psalm  103  :  12. 
Fourth,  God  Avrites  upon  the  pardon  another  word,  as  sweet 
as  any  of  the  rest,  and  that  is,  s.iire.  It  is  a  standing  mercy, 
never  to  be  recalled  or  annulled.  E-om.  8  :  33-35.  The 
challenge  is  sent  to  earth  and  hell,  men  and  devils  :  "  Who 
shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God 
that  justifieth.  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ 
that  died."  Who  can  arrest  when  the  creditor  discharges  ? 
Who  can  sue  the  bond  when  the  debt  is  paid  ?  "  It  is  Christ 
that  died."  The  table  is  spread,  and  the  first  mercy  served 
in  is  the  pardon  of  sin.  "Eat,  0  friends  ;  drink,  yea,  drink 
abundantly,  0  beloved."  Sol.  Song  5  :  2.  Noav  the  labor- 
ing conscience  that  rolled  and  tossed  upon  the  waves  of  a 
thousand  fears,  may  drop  anchor,  and  ride  quiet  in  the 
pacific  sea  of  a  pardoned  state.  What  joy  must  flow  through 
the  conscience  when  the  sweetness  of  that  scripture,  "  There 
is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  Eom.  8:1,  shall  be  pressed  into  thy  cup  of 
consolation.  The  pardoned  soul  may  think  of  death  and 
judgment  without  consternation ;  yea,  may  look  upon  them 
as  a  time  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Acts 
3:19.  This  is  heavenly  manna,  the  sweetness  of  it  exceeds 
all  expression  ;  no  words,  no  thoughts  can  comprehend  the 
riches  of  this  mercy. 

2.  And  yet  this  is  not  all ;  behold  another  mercy  brought , 
in  to  cheer  the  consenting  soul,  and  that  is  jpeace  ivith  God.  /] 
Pardon  and  peace  go  together  :  "  Being  justified  by  faith,^ 
we  have  peace  with  God."  Rom.  5:1.  Peace  is  a  word 
of  vast  comprehension  :  in  the  language  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, it  comprehends  all  temporal  good  things,  1  Sam. 
25  :  6  ;  and  peace  in  the  New  Testament  comprehends  all 
spiritual  mercies,  2  Thess.  3:16:  the  blessings  of  heaven 
and  earth  are  wrapt  up  in  this  word.  The  soul  that  opens 
to  Christ  has  the  peace  of  reconciliation  with  heaven ;  the 
enmity  that  was  between  God  and  that  soul  is  taken  away 


THE  aOSPEL  FEAST.  279 

through  Jesus  Christ.  "  0  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee  :  though 
thou  wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and 
thou  comfortedst  me."  Isa.  12:1.  This  must  he  an  inval- 
uable mercy,  for  the  purchase  of  it  cost  the  blood  of  Christ : 
"  The  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him."  Isa.  53  :  5. 
He  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  Col.  1  :  20  ;  and 
this  peace  of  reconciliation  is  settled  by  Christ  upon  a  firm 
foundation.  His  blood  gives  it  a  more  firm  foundation  than 
that  of  the  hills  and  mountains.  Isa.  54  :  10.  And  that 
w^hich  makes  it  so  firm  and  sure,  is  the  advocateship  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  heaven  :  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate 
with  the  Father."  1  John,  2:1.  There  is  also  peace  in 
the  believer's  conscience — peace  as  it  were  by  proclamation 
from  heaven  ;  and  this  is  built  upon  the  peace  of  reconcili- 
ation. We  cannot  have  the  sense  of  peace  till  we  are 
brought  into  a  state  of  peace  ;  the  one  is  the  result  of  the 
other.  And  this  is  a  part  of  the  supper  Christ  provides  to 
entertain  the  soul  that  receives  it.  How  sweet  this  is,  is 
better  felt  than  spoken.  A  dreadful  sound  was  lately  in  the 
ears  of  the  law-condemned  sinner ;  but  now  his  heart  is  the 
seat  of  peace.     This  peace  is, 

(1.)  The  souVs  guard  against  all  inward  and  outward 
terrors.  The  peace  of  God  shall  keep,  or,  as  the  original 
word  is,  guard  your  hearts  and  minds,  Phil.  4:7.  The  per- 
sons of  princes  are  secured  by  guards  of  armed  men,  who 
w^atch  while  they  sleep.  Thus  Solomon  had  his  royal  guard, 
because  of  fear  in  the  night,  Sol.  Song  3  :  7,  8.  This  peace 
of  God,  Christian,  is  thy  life-guard,  and  secures  thee  better 
than  Solomon's  threescore  valiant  men  about  him.  Time 
was  when  thou  wast  afraid  to  sleep,  lest  thou  shouldst  awake 
in  hell.  Now  thou  mayest  say  with  David,  "  I  will  both  lay 
me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep  ;  for  thou.  Lord,  only  makest 
me  to  dwell  in  safety,"  Psa,  5 :  8.  Now,  come  life,  come 
death,  the  soul  is  safe ;  the  peace  of  God  is  its  royal  guard, 

(2.)  This  peace  is  ease  as  well  as  safety  to  the  soul ;  it  is 


280  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOR. 

heart' s-ease.  No  sooner  does  God  speak  peace  to  tlie  con- 
science, than  the  soul  finds  itself  at  ease  and  rest:  "We 
Avhich  have  believed,  do  enter  into  rest."  Heb.  4:3.  It  is 
with  such  a  soul  as  it  M^as  with  the  dove  Noah  sent  out  of 
the  ark :  that  poor  creature  wandered  in  the  air  as  long  as 
her  wings  could  carry  her  ;  had  her  strength  failed,  there 
was  nothing  but  the  waters  to  receive  her.  0  how  sweet 
was  rest  in  the  ark  I 

(3.)  This  peace  is  neics,  from  heaven,  and  the  sweetest 
tidings  that  ever  blessed  the  sinner's  ear,  next  to  Christ. 
The  blood  of  Christ  speaketh  better  things  than  that  of 
Abel,  Heb.  12  :  24  ;  and  you  are  come  to  this  blood  of 
sprinkling,  as  soon  as  Christ  comes  into  your  soul.  This  is 
the  voice  of  that  blood  :  "  Thou  hast  sinned,  I  have  satisfied ; 
thou  hast  kindled  the  wrath  of  God,  and  I  have  quenched 
it."  The  angels  of  heaven  cannot  fare  better  :  their  joys 
are  not  more  sweet  than  those  prepared  for  believers  are, 
whereof  this  is  a  foretaste.  Whatever  trouble  a  man  may 
be  in,  this  efiectually  relieves  him.  Paul  and  Silas  were  in 
sad  circumstances,  shut  up  in  the  inner  prison,  their  feet 
made  fast  in  the  stocks,  their  cruel  keepers  at  the  door, 
and  their  execution  expected  in  a  few  days  :  God  did  but 
set  this  dish  upon  the  table  before  the  prisoners,  and  they 
could  not  forbear  to  sing  at  the  feast.     Acts  16  :  25. 

3.  k.{\.QX  liar  don  and  'peace,  a  third  blessing  will  come, 
namely,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  somewhat  beyond 
peace,  it  is  the  very  quintessence  and  spirit  of  all  consola- 
tion. The  kingdom  of  God  is  said  to  consist  in  it,  Rom. 
^14  :  17  ;  it  is  somewhat  hke  the  joy  of  the  glorified,  1  Pet. 
1:8;  it  is  heaven  upon  earth.  All  behevers  do  not  imme- 
diately attain  it,  but  one  time  or  other  God  usually  gives 
them  a  taste  of  it ;  and  when  he  does,  it  is  as  it  were  a 
realization  of  full  salvation.  0,  who  can  tell  what  that  is 
which  the  apostle  calls,  the  shedding  abroad  of  the  love  of 
God  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  to  us  ? 


THE  GOSPEL  FEAST.  281 

Horn.  5:5.  It  is  a  joy  that  wants  an  epitliet  to  express  its 
full  sweetness  :  "  Joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  1  Pet. 
1:8.  It  has  the  very  taste  of  heaven  in  it,  and  there  is 
but  a  difference  of  degrees  between  it  and  the  joy  of  heaven. 
This  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  spiritual  cheerfulness  stream- 
ing through  the  soul  of  a  believer  from  the  Spirit's  testi- 
mony, which  proves  his  interest  in  Christ  and  glory.  No 
sooner  doth  the  Spirit  shed  forth  the  love  of  God  into  the 
believer's  heart,  than  it  overflows  with  joy. 

This  will  appear,  if  you  consider  the  matter  of  it :  it 
arises  from  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  Psa.  4  :  6,  7,  the 
heavenly  glory  :  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  we  love."  1  Pet. 
1  :  8.  The  soul  is  transported  with  joy,  ravished  with  the 
glory  and  excellency  of  Christ.  Didst  thou  ever  see  Christ 
with  whom  thy  soul  is  so  delighted  ?  No,  I  have  not  seen 
him  ;  yet  my  soul  is  transported  with  love  to  him,  *'  whom 
having  not  seen,  we  love."  But  if  thou  never  sawest  him, 
how  comes  thy  soul  to  be  so  dehghted  with  hun  ?  Why, 
though.  I  never  saw  him  by  the  eye  of  sense,  I  do  see  him 
by  the  eye  of  faith  ;  and  by  that  sight  my  soul  is  flooded 
with  spiritual  joy:  "Believing,  we  rejoice."  But  what 
manner  of  joy  is  it  which  you  taste  ?  No  tongue  can 
express  that,  for  it  is  joy  unspeakable.  But  how  are  Christ 
and  heaven  turned  into  such  joys  to  the  soul  ?  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  gives  the  beUever  a  sight  to  discern  not  only  the 
transcendent  excellency  of  these  spiritual  objects,  but  his  in- 
terest in  them  also.  This  is  my  Saviour,  and  this  the  glory 
prepared  for  me.  Without  appropriation,  heaven  itself  can- 
not be  turned  into  joy.  My  soul  rejoices  in  God  my  Saviour. 
Luke  1  :  47.  We  read  of  some  who  shall  have  a  sight  of 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  yet  shall  be  without  joy,  Luke  13  :  28 ; 
a  dreadful  sight  to  such,  for  want  of  a  joint  interest  with 
them  in  that  glory.  They  shall  see,  and  yet  weep  and  gnash 
their  teeth.     But  an  interest  sealed  gives  joy  unspeakable. 


282  CHRIST  KNOCKIXa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

As  to  the  excellency  of  this  joy,  it  will  prove  the  pleas- 
ant light  of  the  soul.  Light  and  joy  are  synonymous  terms 
in  Scripture.  Psa.  97  :  11.  It  is  as  the  cheerful  light  of  the 
morning,  after  a  sad  and  dismal  night.  You  who  have  sat 
in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death,  who  have  sat  mourn- 
ing in  the  dark  without  one  glimpse  of  a  promise,  wdio  have 
conversed  with  nothing  but  dismal  thoughts  of  hell  and 
wrath — 0, 1  shall  be  cast  away  for  ever  ;  what  will  you  say, 
when  after  all  this  darkness,  the  day-star  shall  arise  in  your 
hearts,  and  the  joy  of  heaven  shall  beam  upon  your  souls  ? 
Will  not  this  be  a  glorious  reward  for  all  your  self-denial  for 
Christ,  and  fully  recompense  the  frowns  of  ungodly  relations 
for  giving  entertainment  to  Christ  ?  This  joy  of  the  Lord, 
if  there  were  no  other  heaven,  is  an  abundant  recompense. 
This  joy  of  the  Lord  shall  be  your  strength.  Neh.  8:  10. 
Let  God  but  give  a  person  a  little  of  this  joy  into  his  heart, 
and  he  shall  presently  feel  himself  strengthened  by  it,  either 
to  do  or  to  suffer  the  will  of  God.  Now  he  can  pray  with 
enlargement,  hear  with  comfort,  meditate  with  delight ;  and 
if  God  call  him  to  suffer,  this  joy  shall  strengthen  him  to 
bear  it.  This  it  was  that  made  the  martyrs  go  singing  to  the 
stake.  This  therefore  transcends  all  the  joys  of  the  world. 
There  are  sinful  pleasures  which  men  find  in  fulfilling  their 
lusts ;  there  are  sensitive  joys  that  men  find  in  the  good 
creatures  of  God,  filling  their  hearts  with  food  and  gladness ; 
there  are  also  delusive  joys,  that  hypocrites  find  in  their 
ungrounded  hopes  of  heaven.  The  joys  of  the  sensualist  are 
brutish,  the  joys  of  the  hypocrite  are  ensnaring  and  vanish- 
ing ;  but  the  joys  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  solid,  sweet,  and 
leading  to  the  fulness  of  everlasting  joy. 

4.  We  read  in  Scripture  of  the  sealing  of  the  Spirit,  a 
blessed  privilege  of  believers,  consequent  upon  believing  : 
"  In  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with 
that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise."  Eph.  1 :  13.  This  may  be 
expected  by  every  soul  that  opens  to  Christ,  how  rich  soever 


THE   GOSPEL  FEAST.  283 

the  comforts  of  it  be.  The  Spirit  indeed  seals  not  before 
faith,  for  then  would  he  set  his  seal  to  a  blank ;  but  he 
usually  seals  after  believing,  and  that  as  the  Spirit  of  prom- 
ise. JNTotice  here  the  agent  or  person  sealing,  "the  Spirit ;" 
he  knows  the  counsels  and  purposes  of  God.  1  Cor.  2  :  10,  11. 
He  also  is  authorized  to  this  work  ;  and  being  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  he  cannot  deceive  us.  There  is  a  twofold  seal  spoken 
of  in  Scripture  ;  one  referring  to  God's  eternal  foreknowledge 
and  choice  of  men:  "Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that 
are  his,"  2  Tim.  2:19;  he  perfectly  knows  every  soul  that 
belongs  to  him  throughout  the  world.  But  the  believer  has 
more  than  this.  There  is  another  sealing  of  the  Spirit,  as 
his  act  on  believers,  to  make  them  know  that  they  are  his. 
The  first  is  general,  The  Lord  knoweth  who  are  his  ;  but 
this  is  particular,  The  Lord  knoweth  thee  to  be  his.  This  is 
joyful  news  indeed.  The  former  makes  it  sure  in  itself,  the 
latter  makes  it  sure  to  us.  Now  this  is  a  glorious  privilege, 
a  work  of  the  Spirit,  which  has  a  most  delightful  sweetness 
in  it ;  for, 

(1  )  The  iveightiness  of  the  matter  sealed,  which  is  no 
less  than  Christ,  and  the  eternal  inheritance  purchased  by 
his  blood.  This  seal  secures  our  title  to  Christ,  and  to  the 
eternal  glory.  We  are  sealed  to  the  day  of  redemption. 
The  sealed  believer  can  say,  Christ,  how  great,  how  glorious 
soever  he  be,  is  my  Saviour ;  and  the  covenant  of  grace,  and 
all  the  invaluable  promises  contained  in  it,  are  mine. 

(2.)  The  rest  which  follows  it,  makes  it  an  invaluable 
mercy.  This  brings  the  anxious  conscience  to  peace.  0 
what  a  mercy  is  it  to  have  all  those  knots  untied,  those 
objections  answered,  those  fears  banished,  under  which  the 
doubting  soul  so  long  labored,  and  which  kept  it  so  many 
nights  waking  and  restless.  God  only  knows  how  some 
poor  creatures  live,  under  their  alarms  of  conscience  and 
frequent  fears  of  hell.     And  what  an  inconceivable  mercy 


284  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT  THE   DOOR. 

would  it  be  to  them  to  be  delivered  at  once  from  their  dan- 
gers and  fears,  which  hold  them  under  a  spirit  of  bondage  I 
Open  to  Christ,  and  thou  art  in  the  way  to  such  a  deliver- 
ance :  Come  unto  me  and  I  will  give  you  rest,  saith  Christ, 
Matt.  11  :2S,  29. 

(3.)  This  sealing  of  the  Spirit  which  follows  believing, 
will  establish  the  soul  in  Christ,  and  settle  it  in  the  ways 
of  God,  wiiich  is  an  unspeakable  privilege  :  "  Now  he  which 
establisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ,  is  God;  who  hath  also 
sealed  us."  2  Cor.  1  :  21,  22.  Mark  how  establishment 
follows  sealing.  Temptations  may  come,  great  persecu- 
tions and  sore  afflictions  may  come,  but  how  well  is  that 
soul  provided  for  them  all,  that  has  the  sealing  of  the  Spirit 
unto  the  day  of  redemption.  Yea,  though  that  soul  should 
for  the  present  be  under  new  darkness,  temptations,  and 
fears,  the  former  sealing  will  give  establishment  and  relief, 
when  the  thoughts  go  back  to  the  sealing  day,  and  the  man 
remembers  how  clear  God  once  made  his  title  to  Christ. 
Well  then,  open  to  Christ,  if  ever  you  expect  to  be  sealed 
to  salvation.  If  you  continue  to  reject  the  tenders  of  Christ 
in  the  gospel,  while  others  who  embrace  him  are  sealed  to 
the  day  of  redemption,  yo,ur  unbelief  and  final  rejection  of 
Christ  will  seal  you  to  the  day  of  damnation. 

5.  "We  read  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  earnest  of  the 
Spirit ;  this  is  three  times  mentioned  :  "  Which  is  the 
earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemption  of  the  pur- 
chased possession."  Eph.  1  :  14.  The  apostle  Paul  joins  it 
with  the  former  privilege  of  sealing :  "  Who  hath  also  sealed 
us,  and  given  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts," 
2  Cor.  1  :  22 ;  and  again,  "  He  that  hath  wrought  us  for 
the  selfsame  thing  is  God,  who  also  hath  given  unto  us  the 
earnest  of  the  Spirit  "  2  Cor.  5  :  5.  The  word  is  originally 
Syriac  ;  the  Greeks  are  supposed  to  have  got  it  from  the 
Phenician  merchants  with  whom  they  traded,  and  it  denotes 
a  part  paid  in  hand  to  confirm  a  bargain  for  the  whole.     An 


THE  aOSPEL  FEAST.  285 

eai'nest  is  part  of  the  sum,  or  iiilieritance  :  if  it  were  a  con- 
tract for  a  sum  of  money,  it  Avas  a  small  part  of  a  greater 
amount ;  if  for  an  inheritance,  the  earnest  is  takinjr  a  twio-, 
or  turf,  as  a  part  of  the  whole.  The  Spirit  of  God  chooses 
this  word  to  signify  two  great  things  to  his  people. 

(1.)  That  the  comforts  communicated  by  the  Spirit  ^ 
believers,  are  of  the  same  kind  ivith  the  joys  of  heaven, 
though  in  a  far  inferior  degree.  They  are  called,  "  Joy 
unspeakable,  and  fall  of  glory,"  1  Pet.  1:8;  and,  "The 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit."  Rom.  8  :  23.  The  first-fruits, 
and  the  harvest,  are  one  in  kind  ;  there  is  something  of 
heaven,  as  well  as  hell,  tasted  by  men  in  this  world  :  hell  is 
begun  here  in  the  terrors  of  some  men's  consciences,  and 
heaven  is  begun  here  in  the  peace  and  comfort  of  other 
men's  consciences. 

(2.)  As  an  earnest  is  part  of  the  sum  or  inheritance,  so 
the  use  of  it  is  confirmation  aiid  security;  as  much  as  to 
say,  take  this  in  part  till  the  whole  be  paid — take  it  for  thy 
security  that  the  whole  shall  be  paid.  Believers  have  a 
double  pledge  or  earnest  for  heaven  :  one  in  the  person  of 
Christ,  who  is  entered  into  that  glory  for  them,  John 
14  :  2,  3  ;  the  other  in  the  joys  and  comforts  of  the  Spirit, 
whicli  they  feel  and  taste  in  themselves.  These  are  two 
great  securities,  and  the  design  of  God  in  giving  us  these 
earnests  and  foretastes  of  heaven,  is  not  only  to  settle  our 
minds,  but  to  increase  our  industry,  that  we  may  long  more 
earnestly  and  labor  more  diligently  for  the  full  possession. 
The  Lord  sees  how  apt  we  are  to  flag  in  the  pursuit  of 
heaven,  and  therefore  gives  his  people  a  taste,  or  earnest  of 
it,  to  excite  their  diligence  in  its  pursuit.  God  deals  with 
his  people  in  this  case,  as  with  Israel :  they  had  been  forty 
years  in  the  wilderness  ;  many  sore  temptations  had  they 
there  encountered ;  at  last  they  came  upon  the  very  borders 
of  Canaan,  but  then  their  hearts  began  to  faint ;  there  were 
Anakims,  giants  in  the  land,  and  Israel  feared  they  should 


286  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

not  stand  before  tliem  :  but  Joshua  sent  spies  into  the  land, 
who  brought  the  first  fruits  of  Canaan  to  them,  whereby  they 
saw  what  a  goodly  country  it  was  ;  and  then  the  fear  of  the 
Anakims  began  to  vanish,  and  a  spirit  of  courage  to  revive 
in  the  people.  Thus  it  is  even  with  the  borderers  upon 
Jjeaven  :  though  we  are  near  that  blessed  land  of  promise, 
our  hearts  are  apt  to  faint  on  a  prospect  of  the  sufferings 
without  us,  and  the  conflicts  with  corruptions  within  us; 
but  one  taste  of  the  first-fruits  of  heaven,  like  the  grapes 
of  Eschol,  revives  our  spirits,  rouses  our  zeal,  and  quickens 
our  pursuit  of  blessedness.  For  these  reasons,  God  will 
not  have  all  heaven  reserved  till  we  come  thither.  And 
now  tell  me,  you  that  have  tasted  these  first-fruits  of  the 
Spirit, 

Is  there  not  something  of  that  glorified  eye,  in  faith,  by 
which  the  pure  in  heart  see  God  in  heaven  ?  Matt.  5:8. 
0  that  eye  of  faith — that  precious  eye,  which  comes  as  near 
to  the  glorified  eye  as  any  thing  in  this  imperfect  state  can 
do  :  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love ;  in  whom,  though 
now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."      1  Pet.  1  :  8. 

Is  there  not  something  of  that  glorified  love  felt  in  an 
inferior  degree  by  the  saints  in  this  world  ?  What  else  can 
we  make  of  that  transport  of  the  spouse  :  "  Stay  me  with 
flagons,  comfort  me  with  apples;  for  I  am  sick  of  love?" 
Sol.  Song  2  :  5.  Our  love  to  God  in  heaven  will  be  much 
more  fervent,  pure,  and  constant ;  yet  these  high-raised  acts 
of  spiritual  love  have  a  taste  and  relish  of  it. 

Is  there  not  something  here  of  that  hcaveiilij  delight 
wherewith  the  glorified  rejoice  in  God  ?  As  the  visions  of 
God  are  begun  on  earth,  so  heavenly  dehghts  are  begun  here 
also.  Some  drops  of  that  delight  are  let  fall  here  :  "In  the 
multitude  of  my  thoughts  within  me  thy  comforts  dehght 
my  soul"  Psa.  94:19.  David's  heart  had  been  full  of 
sorrow ;  a  sea  of  gall  and  wormwood  had  overflowed  his 


THE   GOSPEL  FEAST.  287 

soul  :  God  lets  fall  but  a  drop  or  two  of  heavenly  delight, 
and  all  is  turned  into  sweetness  and  comfort. 

Is  there  not  something  here  of  that  tramformation  of 
the  soul  into  the  image  of  God,  which  is  complete  in  heaven, 
and  a  part  of  the  glory  thereof?  It  is  said,  "  We  shall  be 
like  him;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  1  John,  3  :  2. 
This  is  heaven,  to  have  the  soul  moulded  into  full  conformity 
with  God  :  something  thereof  is  experienced  in  this  world  ; 
0  that  we  had  more  I  "But  we  all,  with  open  face  behold- 
ing as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the 
same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 
2  Cor.  3  :  18. 

Is  there  not  something  felt  here  of  the  siveePness  of  GocVs 
•presence  in  ordinances  and  duties,  which  is  a  faint  shadow, 
at  least,  of  the  joys  of  his  glorious  presence  in  heaven  ? 
There  is  certainly  a  felt  presence  of  God,  a  sensible  nearness 
to  God  at  some  times  and  m  some  duties  of  religion,  wherein 
his  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  Sol.  Song  1  :  3 — some- 
thing that  is  felt  above  all  the  comforts  of  this  world. 

In  a  word,  the  joys  of  heaven  are  imspeakahle  joys ;  no 
words  can  make  known  what  they  are.  When  Paul  was 
caught  up  into  paradise  he  heard  unspeakable  words,  2  Cor. 
12  :4  ;  and  are  there  not  times,  even  in  this  life,  wherein 
the  saints  do  feel  that  which  no  words  can  express  ?  1  Pet. 
1:8;  Rev.  2:17. 

Now,  if  such  earnests  of  the  Spirit  come  with  believing, 
if  opening  the  soul  to  Christ  bring  it  unto  these  suburbs  of 
heaven,  who  would  not  receive  Christ  into  his  soul,  and  such 
a  heaven  upon  earth  with  him  ?  Thus  I  have  showed  you 
what  are  some  of  those  heavenly  joys  which  Christ  gives  to 
believers  upon  earth,  the  fulness  of  Avhich  is  reserved  for 
heaven,  and  hereby  secured  to  the  opening  or  believing  soul. 

IV.  We  shall  show  the  reasons  why  Christ  thus  feasts 
and  refreshes  the  soul  that  receives  him. 

1 .  This  he  does  to  express  the  great  joy  he  lias  in  tJie 


288  CHRIST  KNOCKOa  AT   THE  DOOR. 

faith  and  ohedience  of  siimers.  We  read  of  the  travail  of 
Christ's  soul,  and  the  satisfaction  he  has  in  the  fruit  and 
issue  thereof:  "  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and 
shall  be  satisfied,"  Isa.  53  :  11.  0  what  pleasure  and  sat- 
isfaction doth  it  give  him  to  behold  the  eternal  counsels  of 
God  and  the  travails  of  his  soul  brought  to  such  a  result ; 
there  is  no  pleasure  like  it  to  the  soul  of  Christ  in  this  world. 
As  it  is  satisfaction  to  a  man  to  see  a  design  upon  which  he 
has  laid  out  many  thoughts  and  much  cost,  at  last  happily 
finished  ;  or  as  it  is  to  a  woman  to  behold  the  fruit  of  her 
womb,  to  embrace  and  smile  upon  the  child  she  travailed 
for  ;  so,  and  much  more,  it  is  to  Christ :  and  therefore,  as 
the  Father  of  the  prodigal  manifested  the  joy  of  his  heart 
for  the  return  of  his  son  by  a  feast  and  music,  so  does  Christ 
here  manifest  the  satisfaction  of  his  soul  by  entertaining  the 
believer  with  these  foretastes  of  heaven  ;  it  is  the  soul's 
welcome  home  to  Christ. 

2.  This  Christ  does  to  relieve  distressed  souls  who  have 
endured  so  many  fears  and  sorrows  from  the  time  of  their 
first  conviction  until  the  day  of  their  union  with  Christ  by 
faith.  The  way  of  faith  is  a  veiy  humble  way  ;  there  is 
much  painful  work  in  previous  convictions  and  humihations, 
sad  nights  and  days  with  many  poor  souls  ;  and  these  things 
bring  them  low  :  they  see  the  law  broken  by  sin,  wrath 
hanging  over  them  m  the  threatenings,  the  bitterness  thereof 
they  have  in  their  consciences  ;  they  have  dealt  with  fears 
and  horrors  a  long  time,  and  they  need  support,  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  now  gives  them,  lest  the  spirit  fail  before  him. 
Isa.  57  :  16.  He  delights  to  comfort  them  that  are  cast 
down.  2  Cor.  7  :  6.  Christ  is  of  a  compassionate  nature  ;  he 
is  as  ready  as  able  to  succor  them  that  are  tempted.  Heb. 
2:18.  The  word  which  we  render  succor,  signifies  to  run 
in  by  way  of  help  at  the  cry  of  one  in  distress.  Many  em- 
phatical  cries  have  gone  up  to  heaven  from  the  distressed 
soul ;  these  the  compassionate  Jesus  hears,  and  now  comes 


THE  G-OSPEL  FEAST.  289 

in  to  succor  and  refresh  it ;  he  has  rich  cordials  for  fainting 
hours  ;  the  soul  hath  had  a  bitter  breakfast,  and  therefore 
Christ  will  give  it  a  comfortable  supper  :  "I  will  come  in 
to  him,  and  sup  with  him." 

3.  Those  that  open  their  hearts,  to  Christ  must  expect 
to  tneet  with  great  troubles  and  temptations  in  the  new 
course  on  which  they  have  entered  :  their  way  to  heaven 
lies  through  much  tribulation  ;  all  our  troubles  are  not  over 
when  we  are  once  in  Christ ;  nay,  then  commonly  our  great- 
est outward  troubles  begin  :  "  After  ye  were  illuminated, 
ye  endured  a  great  fight  of  afflictions."  Heb.  10  :  32. 
Carnal  relations  scoff,  frown,  and  cast  us  off;  the  world 
hates  us  and  marks  us  out  for  persecution.  Now,  that 
Christians  may  not  utterly  be  discouraged  when,  they  meet 
with  troubles  in  the  way  of  duty,  Christ  will  cheer  them 
by  these  spiritual  refreshments.  Christ  himself  had  a  voice 
from  heaven,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,"  Matt.  17  :  5,  a 
little  before  liis  great  combat ;  much  more  do  his  people 
need  such  consolations,  to  support  and  encourage  them. 
God  foresees  and  by  this  provision  prepares  for  the  troubles 
they  are  to  meet  with ;  an  hour  of  seahng  fortifies  the  soul 
for  an  hour  of  suffering.  It  has  been  the  observation  of 
some  Christians  when  they  have  felt  more  than  ordinary 
comforts  of  the  Spirit,  that  some  great  trial  has  been  near 
them ;  and  the  event  has  confirmed  it.  Whatever  com- 
forts Christ  gives  his  people  at  their  first  entrance  into  his 
service,  they  will  have  need  enough  of  them  all  before  they 
finish  their  course.  To  these  first  sealings  they  will  need  to 
have  frequent  recourse,  and  all  will  be  little  enough  to  sup- 
port them  in  after-trials. 

4.  Christ  comes  in  to  the  opening  soul  with  such  divine 
refreshments  to  defeat  the  plot  of  Satan,  who  has  so  often 
discouraged  them  by  representing  the  ways  of  Christ  as 
melancholy  ;  telling  them  they  shall  never  laugh  more, 
never  be  merry  more,  after  they  have  espoused  the  ways  of 

Christ   Knocking.  13 


290  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOE-. 

holiness.  Their  own  experience  shall  confute  it,  for  they  now 
taste  that  pleasure  in  Christ,  in  faith  and  obedience,  which 
they  never  tasted  in  the  ways  of  sin  ;  thus  that  scandalous 
libel  of  Satan  is  confuted.  They  find  they  were  never 
truly  merry  till  now  ;  for  all  true  mirth  commences  from 
our  closing  with  Christ:  "And  they  began  to  be  merry." 
Luke  15  :24. 

These  spiritual  refreshments  are  here  called  a  siqyper, 
because  the  supper  among  the  Jews  was  their  best  meal, 
Luke  14:  :  17,  and  because  it  is  the  last  meal.  This  is  not 
only  the  best  enjoyment  that  a  believer  ever  had,  but  upon 
these  spiritual  comforts,  though  much  more  refined  and  per- 
fected, he  is  to  feed  for  ever  in  heaven.  0  Christian,  well 
mayest  thou  be  contented  with  thine  outward  lot  of  provi- 
dence, however  it  shall  fall  in  this  world  with  respect  to  thy 
outward  man.  Will  the  King  of  heaven  come  and  sup 
with  thee  ?  Does  he  feed  thy  soul  Mdth  pardon,  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  seal  an  earnest  of  future  glory  ? 
Then  thou  livest  at  a  higher  and  nobler  rate  than  any  of 
thy  carnal  neighbors  do.  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ."  Eph.  1  :  3. 
The  same  person  who  thus  blesses  God  with  a  heart  over- 
flowing with  joy  and  comfort,  endured  as  many  persecutions, 
felt  as  many  wants  and  straits  as  any  man.  What  if  Prov- 
idence do  but  meanly  clothe  your  bodies,  so  that  you  cannot 
ruffle  it  in  the  splendor  that  others  do  ?  Yet  mayest  thou 
say  with  the  church,  "  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my 
soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God  ;  for  he  hath  clothed  me  with 
the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered  me  with  the 
robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with 
ornaments,  and  as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels." 
Isa.  61  :  10.  What  if  thou  fare  not  so  deliciously  as  the 
great  ones  of  this  world  do  ?  Yet,  if  Christ  will  give  thee 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna  which  he  promiseth,  Eev.  2  :  17, 


THE  GOSPEL  FEAST.  291 

art  thou  not  better  clothed  and  fed  than  any  of  the  nobles 
of  the  world  ?  This  takes  away  all  grounds  of  complaint. 
It  may  be  you  will  say,  0,  but  we  have  bodies  as  well  as 
souls ;  if  Grod  had  created  us  angels,  so  that  we  could  live 
without  material  food,  it  were  another  case.  I  reply,  Christ 
never  thus  intended  to  feast  thy  soul  and  starve  thy  body  ; 
he  that  feeds  thy  soul  with  bread  from  heaven,  will  take 
care  for  all  necessary  provisions  on  earth.  Isa.  41  :  17.  You 
have  sought  and  found  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
ousness  ;  fear  not  but  all  other  things  shall  be  added  to  you. 

The  doctrine  before  us  is  full  of  instruction  :  I  shall 
begin  with  the  following. 

Inference  1 .  It  is  a  vile  and  groundless  slander  upon 
religion,  to  say  or  insinuate  that  it  deprives  men  of  the 
comfort  and  joy  of  life.  The  devil,  in  design  to  discourage 
men  from  the  ways  of  God,  puts  a  frightful  mask  on  the  beau- 
tiful face  of  religion,  pretending  there  is  no  pleasure  to  be 
expected  therein  ;  but  this  is  abundantly  confuted  in  the  text : 
"I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him."  Solomon  teUs 
us,  "  A  feast  is  made  for  laughter."  Eccl.  10  :  19,  I  am 
sure  the  soul  that  sits  with  Christ  at  such  a  feast  as  has 
been  described  above,  has  the  best  reason  of  any  man  in  the 
world  to  be  merry.  Eeligion  indeed  denies  us  all  sinful 
pleasure,  but  it  abounds  with  spiritual  pleasure.  No  rational, 
solid  mirth  can  come  before  Christ  :  the  unsanctified  rejoice 
in  things  of  naught,  and  their  joy  will  be  soon  ended ;  they 
are  hastening  to  the  place  where  they  will  find  that  to  be 
verified  of  the  wages  of  sin,  which  they  now  falsely  impute 
to  the  wages  of  holiness  ;  they  shall  never  rejoice  more, 
never  be  merry  more  :  but  believers  shall  find  this  scripture 
attested  by  their  daily  experience  :  "Her  ways  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace,"  Prov.  3:17; 
and  that  there  are  such  pleasures  in  the  ways  of  God,  as 
they  never  experienced  in  the  ways  of  sin.     Is  it  a  solid 


292  CHRIST   KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

ground  of  comfort  to  a  man  to  be  out  of  debt  and  all  fears 
of  arrest ;  and  is  it  not  much  greater  to  have  our  debts  paid 
to  God  by  Christ  our  surety  ?  "  Be  of  good  cheer  ;  thy  sins 
be  forgiven  thee."  Matt.  9:2.  Is  it  matter  of  joy  to  have 
a  sufficiency  of  all  things  for  the  supply  of  every  want  ? 
He  that  is  in  Christ  has  this  :  "  All  are  yours  ;  and  ye  are 
Christ's."  1  Cor.  3  :  22,  23.  Is  it  a  joyful  life  to  border 
upon  heaven,  to  be  on  the  confines  of  blessedness  itself? 
Then  it  is  joyful  to  be  in  Christ ;  for  they  that  are  so  may 
rejoice  in  the  hope  of  glory.  Rom.  5:2.  Is  it  matter  of 
joy  to  have  the  Comforter  himself,  who  is  the  Spirit  of  all 
consolation,  taking  up  his  residence  in  thy  heart,  comforting 
and  refreshing  it  with  cordials  unknown  in  all  the  unbeliev- 
ing world  ?  Then  certainly  the  life  of  a  Christian  and  the 
ways  of  holiness  must  be  most  comfortable.  Let  none 
therefore,  that  are  looking  towards  Christ,  be  discouraged  in 
their  way  by  the  slanderous  reproaches  designedly  cast  upon 
religion,     Christ  and  comfort  dwell  together. 

2.  Hence,  in  like  mamier  it  follows,  that  Christians 
usually  tneet  the  greatest  difficulties  at  their  first  entrance 
into  religion.  The  first  work  of  religion  is  wounding  and 
weeping  work.  Thus  religion  usually  begins.  Acts  2:37; 
16  :  29,  The  soul  seems  to  be  struck  dead,  in  the  giving 
up  of  all  its  former  vain  hopes  :  "  When  the  commandment 
came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died,"  Rom.  7:9;  but  afterwards 
come  pardon,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  that 
go  forth  weeping,  bearing  precious  seed,  now  come  back 
rejoicing,  bringing  their  sheaves  with  them.  Psa.  126  :  G. 
Now  the  blessing  is  realized:  "Blessed  are  they  that 
mourn,  for  they  shall  be  comforted."  Matt.  5  :  4,  "Light 
is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright  in 
heart."  Psa.  97  :  11.  It  is  quite  contrary  in  the  ways  of 
sin ;  all  the  pleasures  of  sin  come  first,  the  terrors  of  con- 
science come  after.  Sin  comes  with  smiles  in  its  begimiing, 
but  a  sting  in  its  end.     Pleasures  lead  the  van,  hell  and 


THE   aOSPEL  FEAST.  293 

destruction  bring  up  the  rear.  "  Though  wickedness  be 
sweet  in  his  mouth,  though  he  hide  it  under  his  tongue  ; 
though  he  spare  it,  and  forsake  it  not,  but  keep  it  still  within 
his  mouth ;  yet  his  meat  in  his  bowels  is  turned,  it  is  the 
gall  of  asps  within  him."  Job  20  :  12-14.  But  here  con- 
viction and  humiliation  come  first,  these  prepare  the  way  for 
Christ ;  and  with  him  come  rest  and  peace.  Their  sorrow 
is  turned  into  joy.     John  16  :  20. 

Objection.  But  is  this  alivays  true  ?  Do  not  the  ivorst 
things  of  religion  inany  times  come  last  ?  How  many 
Christians  go  out  of  the  world  in  an  unhappy  manner. 

Answer.  Whatever  the  after-sufferings  of  Christians 
may  be,  the  worst  is  past  when  they  are  in  Christ.  Great 
and  sharp  sufferings  they  may  endure,  but  the  Lord  sweet- 
ens them  with  answerable  consolations  :  "  I  am  filled  with 
comfort,  I  am  exceeding  joyful  in  all  our  tribulation." 
2  Cor.  7  :  4.  The  lowest  ebbs  are  followed  by  the  highest 
tides ;  the  greatest  troubles  need  not  give  interruption  to 
peace. 

3.  Hence  it  follows,  that  no  man  can  he  truly  happy 
till  he  be  in  Christ.  Comfort  and  refreshment  in  the  natu- 
ral order  follow  faith ;  it  is  the  vainest  imagination  in  the 
world  to  expect  solid,  spiritual  comfort  before  union  with 
Christ ;  you  may  as  well  expect  a  harvest  before  a  seed- 
time. I  do  confess  there  are  two  sorts  of  comforts  found  in 
the  world  without  Christ.  First,  men  may  have  sensitive 
and  sinful  comforts  without  Christ ;  these  are  common  in 
the  unregenerate  world,  where  you  may  daily  see  rich 
men  taking  comfort  in  their  riches,  and  voluptuous  men  in 
their  pleasures  :  "Ye  have  lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth." 
James  6\  5.  But  these  are  pleasures  common  to  brutes, 
and  beneath  the  immortal  spirit  of  a  man.  Second,  hypo- 
crites have  their  delights  and  comforts  in  an  imaginary  hap- 
piness, which  they  fancy  to  themselves  ;  but  this  is  a  van- 
ishing shadow.     They  take  comfort  from  their  groundless 


294  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

hope  of  heaven,  whither  they,  shall  never  come  ;  it  is  a 
feast  in  a  dream.  Isa.  29  :  8.  Thus  they  make  a  bridge  of 
their  own  shadow,  and  are  drowned  in  the  waters.  Such 
sensitive  and  false  comforts  and  pleasures  men  may  have, 
but  no  true,  sohd,  spiritual  joy  enters  any  man's  heart  before 
Christ  come  into  it. 

4.  See  fro7n  hence  what  heaven  is,  if  there  be  such  a 
feast  to  the  soul  hi  the  very  foretastes  of  it.  If  a  relish,  a 
taste  of  heaven  as  the  earnest  of  it,  be  so  transporting  and 
ravishing,  what  is  the  full  fruition  of  God?  If  these  are 
unutterable,  what  must  that  be  ?  Whatever  the  comforts 
and  joys  of  any  believer  in  this  world  may  be,  yet  heaven 
will  be  a  surprise  to  him  when  he  comes  thither.  The  joys 
of  God's  presence  are  not  to  be  measured  by  our  present 
comforts  ;  though  these  are  of  the  same  kuid  with  them, 
they  are  far  inferior  in  degree.  There  is  a  sixfold  difierence 
between  the  spiritual  comforts  of  believers  on  earth,  and 
the  joys  that  are  above. 

(1 .)  They  differ  in  quantity.  Here,  "  we  know  in  part ; 
but  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is 
in  part  shall  be  done  away."  1  Cor.  13  :  9,  10.  When  the 
Scripture  speaks  of  the  comforts  commmiicated  to  saints  on 
earth,  it  usually  expresses  them  in  some  diminutive  term  or 
other,  calling  them  first-fruits,  earnests,  paid  the  like  ;  and 
indeed  it  is  necessary  we  should  receive  them  here  in  small 
degrees,  because  the  weakness  of  our  present  state  will  not 
bear  them  in  their  plenitude  and  perfection.  Here  the  joy 
of  the  Lord  enters  into  us,  but  there  we  are  said  to  enter 
into  that  joy.  Matt.  25  :  21.  It  is  too  great  to  enter  into 
us ;  therefore  we  enter  into,  and  are  swallowed  up  in  it. 

(2.)  They  differ  in  constancy.  The  best  comforts  on  earth 
are  intermitting  :  a  sun-blast  and  a  cloud  ;  a  good  day  and 
a  bad.  You  know  we  feed  on  tAVo  sorts  of  meat,  daily 
bread  and  dainties  ;  rarities  come  not  every  day  to  the  table. 
The  daily  bread  on  which  believers  live,  is  the  repose  and 


THE   aOSPEL  FEAST.  295 

reliance  of  faith ;  as  for  assurance  and  joy,  these  come  but 
now  and  then. 

(3.)  They  difier  \1\2n1rity.  Here  we  have  the  comforts 
of  the  Spirit,  but  we  mingle  sin  with  them,  and  especially 
the  sin  of  spiritual  pride,  which  spoils  all.  Yea,  many  times 
the  Lord  sufiers  Satan  to  mingle  his  temptations  with  them, 
lest  we  should  be  unduly  exalted.  2  Cor.  12:7.  But  in 
heaven  the  comforts  of  the  saints  are  as  the  pure  water  of 
life,  clear  as  crystal.     Rev.  22:1. 

(4.)  They  differ  in  efficacy.  The  highest  comforts  of  the 
Spirit  here  do  not  perfectly  transform  our  souls  into  the 
image  of  God,  as  they  will  be  in  heaven.  "  We  shall  be 
like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  1  John,  -3:2. 
Here,  after  we  are  comforted  by  him,  we  grieve  the  Com- 
forter by  sin.  Neither  do  the  comforts  of  the  Spirit,  in  this 
state,  produce  the  fruits  of  obedience  in  their  maturity,  as 
they  do  above  ;  there  is  the  same  difference  in  point  of  effi- 
cacy, as  there  is  between  the  influence  of  the  sunbeams  in 
the  winter  months,  and  those  in  May  and  June. 

(5.)  There  is  a  great  difference  in  respect  to  society. 
Here,  the  believer  for  the  m.ost  part  eats  his  pleasant  mor- 
sels alone :  one  Christian  eats,  and  another  hungers ;  but  in 
heaven  they  all  feast  together  at  one  table.  They  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Matt.  8:11.  0  what  must  it  be  to  rejoice  in  the 
fellowship  of  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  where  the 
joy  of  one  is  the  joy  of  all  ? 

(6.)  They  differ  also  in  durability.  Sin  here  puts  a  stop 
to  our  comforts,  but  in  heaven  there  shall  never  be  an  end  : 
"  Everlasting  joy  shall  be  upon  their  heads."  Isa.  35  :  10. 
There  is  an  eternal  feast.  It  is  everlasting  consolation : 
"We  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord."     2  Thess.  2:16. 

5.  This  doctrine  puts  serious  matter  of  exhortation 
into  my  mouth.  The  Lord  direct  it  to  the  hearts  of  all, 
whether  they  be  in  Christ  or  out  of  Christ. 


296  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

(1.)  To  those  who  are  out  of  Christ,  and  will  not  be 
persuaded  to  open  their  hearts  and  consent  to  his  terms.  0 
what  a  spiritual  infatuation  is  here.  What,  shut  the  door 
of  thy  heart  against  Christ,  and  all  the  delights  of  this  and 
the  coming  world  ?  "What  madness  is  this.  Hear  me,  thou 
poor  deluded  sinner,  who  wilt  not  he  persuaded  to  part  with 
thy  sinful,  sensual  delights  in  exchange  for  Christ,  and  the 
peace,  comfort,  and  joy  that  follow  him.  I  have  a  few 
things  to  speak  on  Christ's  behalf  at  this  time.  0  that  they 
may  prevail ;  0  that  by  them  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  may 
persuade  thy  spirit.  Let  me  ofler  four  or  five  ^9/e<2S  on 
Christ's  behalf,  if  haply  they  may  prevail  and  make  way 
for  his  entertainment  in  thy  soul.     And, 

Plea  1.  Let  me  plead  thine  own  necessity :  a  mighty 
argument,  which  in  other  cases  makes  its  way  through  all 
oppositions,  and  makes  all  difficulties  fly  before  it.  Thou 
art  a  poor,  necessitous,  pining,  famishing  soul ;  however  thy 
body  be  accommodated,  thou  hast  not  one  morsel  of  spiritual 
bread  for  thy  famishing  soul  to  live  upon.  Christ  is  the 
bread  that  cometh  down  from  heaven.  The  starving  prod- 
igal is  the  lively  emblem  of  thy  soul ;  he  feeds  upon  husks, 
Luke  15  :  16,  17,  and  thou  feedest  upon  that  wliich  is  not 
bread.  Isa.  55  :  2.  "  Thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable, 
and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  Rev.  3:17.  Thy  body 
has  often  been  filled  and  refreshed  with  the  good  creatures 
of  God,  but  thy  soul  never  tasted  one  morsel  of  spiritual 
bread  since  it  came  into  thy  body ;  it  never  relished  the 
sweetness  of  a  pardon,  the  deliciousness  of  a  promise,  or  the 
joy  and  comfort  of  Christ :  the  choicest  food  thou  hast  ever 
tasted,  was  such  as  thy  soul  cannot  live  upon. 

Plea  2.  Christ  is  at  the  door  of  thy  soul  with  plenty 
and  variety  of  heavenly  comforts  purchased  by  his  blood  ; 
if  thou  wilt  but  open  to  him,  thou  shalt  be  abundantly  sat- 
isfied with  the  fatness  of  his  house,  and  drink  of  the  rivers  of 
his  pleasure.     Psalm  36  : 8.     "He  that  belie  veth  on  me,  as 


THE   aOSPEL   FEAST.  297 

the  scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  water,"  John  7  :  38  ;  meaning  the  graces  and  com- 
forts of  the  Spirit. 

Plea  3.  If  Christ  he  refused  noiv,  you  may  never  taste 
those  invaluable  mercies  for  ever.  "  For  I  say  unto  you, 
that  none  of  those  men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of 
my  supper."  Luke  14  :  24.  They  were  invited  to  this 
feast,  and  so  are  you ;  they  refused  to  come,  God  grant  that 
you  may  not ;  for  methinks  this  sentence  of  Christ,  "  Those 
men  w^hicli  were  bidden  shall  not  taste  of  my  supper,"  is 
like  a  sentence  on  a  malefactor  that  is  to  be  hanged  in 
chains,  whom  the  law  permits  none  to  relieve.  0,  it  will 
be  dreadful  to  see  the  saints  sitting  at  the  royal  feast  in 
heaven,  and  yourselves  shut  out  like  starving  beggars  stand- 
ing in  the  streets  and  about  the  doors  where  the  marriage- 
supper  is  kept :  they  see  the  lights,  they  behold  the  rich 
dishes  carried  up,  they  hear  the  mirth  and  music  of  the 
guests,  but  not  a  bit  comes  to  their  share. 

Plea  4.  The  refusal  of  Christ's  invitation,  as  it  is  the 
greatest  of  all  sins,  xvill  he  avenged  with  the  greatest  'pun- 
ishment. It  is  said  of  those  guests  that  were  bidden,  that 
they  made  light  of  it.  Matt.  22  :  5  ;  but  it  fell  heavy  upon 
them :  "  He  was  wroth,  and  he  sent  forth  his  armies  and 
destroyed  those  murderers,  and  burned  up  their  city."  Ver.  7. 
Beware  of  making  light  of  Christ. 

Plea  5.  What  vain  things  are  all  those  pleasures  of 
sin,  for  the  sake  of  which  you  de"prive  your  souls  of  the  ever- 
lasting comforts  Jesus  Christ  can  give.  Deluded  soul,  it  is 
not  the  intent  of  Christ  to  rob  thee  of  comfort,  but  to  ex- 
change thy  sinful  for  spiritual  delights,  to  thy  unspeakable 
advantage.  True,  you  can  have  no  more  pleasure  in  sin  ; 
but  instead  of  that,  you  shall  have  peace  with  God,  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  solid  comforts  for  evermore.  What  are 
the  sensitive  or  sinful  pleasures  of  the  world  ?  You  have 
the  total  sum  of  them  in  1  John,  2  :  16,  17  :  "  All  that  is  in 
13# 


298  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the 
pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world.  And 
the  world  passeth  away,  and  the  lusts  thereof;  but  he  that 
doeth  the  will  of  God,  abideth  for  ever." 

Question.  But  hoiu  may  a  'poor  unregeiierate  soul  be 
prevailed  upon  to  make  such  a  blessed  exchange  as  to  part 
tvith  the  pleasures  of  sijifor  the  blessings  of  Jesus  Christ? 

Answep.,.  Besides  all  that  has  been  offered  before,  let  me 
briefly  add  three  counsels  to  such  a  soul. 

Labor  to  feel  thy  need  of  Christ,  and  then  thou  wilt 
quickly  be  willing  to  give  up  all  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  the 
enjoyment  of  liim.  "What  makes  men  so  tenacious  of  their 
lusts,  so  hard  to  be  persuaded  to  give  up  their  sinful  pleas- 
ures, but  this,  that  they  never  felt  the  need  of  a  Saviour  ? 
0,  sinner,  didst  thou  but  feel  thy  need  of  Christ,  wert  thou 
but  hungry  and  thirsty  for  him,  thou  wouldst  never  stand 
upon  such  trifles  for  the  enjoyment  of  him.  We  read,  in  the 
famine  of  Jerusalem,  how  they  parted  with  their  pleasant 
things  for  bread  to  relieve  their  souls  ;  jewels,  rings,  brace- 
lets, things  which  cost  dear  and  were  highly  valued  at 
another  time,  were  now  willingly  parted  with  for  bread. 
Christ  is  more  necessary  to  thee  than  thy  necessary  food. 

Consider  the  spiritual  and  immortal  nature  of  thy  soid, 
which  cannot  live  upon  material  things,  and  must  outlive 
all  temporal  things.  If  thy  soul  cannot  live  upon  them, 
and  must  certainly  outlive  them,  what  a  miserable  condition 
will  it  unavoidably  fall  into,  when  all  these  sensual  and  sin- 
ful enjoyments  are  vanished  and  gone,  as  thou  knowest  they 
shortly  will  be.  These  things  pass  away,  1  John,  2:17, 
and  then  has  thy  soul  nothing  to  live  upon  to  all  eternity. 

Hearken  to  the  experiences  of  the  saints,  who  have  tried 
both  sorts  of  pleasure,  which  you  never  did.  They  have 
tried  the  pleasures  of  sin,  and  they  have  tasted  the  pleasures 
of  Christ,  and  so  are  able  to  give  a  true  judgment  on  both ; 
and  they  have  accordingly  determined,  that  one  glimpse  of 


THE  aOSPEL  FEAST.  299 

the  light  of  God's  countenance  puts  more  gladness  into  their 
hearts,  than  in  the  time  that  their  corn  and  wine  increased. 
Psalm  4:6,  7.  Nay,  the  wisest  Christians,  on  trial  of  both, 
have  rightly  determined,  that  the  worst  things  in  religion 
are  infinitely  to  be  preferred  to  the  best  things  belonging  to 
sin ;  the  very  sufferings  and  afflictions  of  the  people  of  God 
have  been  pronounced  better  than  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 
season.  Heb.  ll  :  25.  Could  you  but  see  with  their  eyes, 
and  were  you  capable  of  making  a  right  judgment  as  they 
did,  there  would  not  need  a  word  more  to  persuade  you  to 
deny  your  most  pleasant  lusts,  in  exchange  for  Christ  and 
his  beneficial  sufferings. 

(2.)  The  doctrine  also  affords  various  exhortations  to  the 
regenerate,  who  have  opened  their  hearts  to  Christ,  and  are 
thereupon  admitted  into  this  comfortable  state.  It  is  found 
in  experience  a  difficult  thing,  for  souls  after  conversion  to 
bear  their  own  comforts,  as  it  was  to  rightly  manage  their 
troubles  at  conversion.  My  business  here  is  to  advise  souls 
under  the  first  operations  of  the  Spirit,  how  to  improve  their 
spiritual  comforts,  that  they  may  abide  with  them  and  be 
growing  continually  in  their  souls. 

Advice  1 .  »See  that  you  humhhj  admire  and  adore  the 
condescending  goodness  of  God  to  you,  in  all  the  comforts 
of  the  ^inrit  which  refresh  you.  0  that  God  should  com- 
fort such  a  soul  as  thine,  that  has  so  often  grieved  him — 
that  Christ  should  be  a  joy  to  thee,  who  hast  been  a  sorrow 
to  him.  In  Paul's  epistle  to  the  Ephesians  you  will  find  the 
spirit  of  the  apostle  filled  with  admiration  of  this  mercy, 
which  breaks  forth  into  this  rapturous  expression  :  "  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ."  Eph.  1:3.  Some  never  enjoy  an  ordinary  de- 
gree of  earthly  comforts.  Job  30  :  3-5  ;  others  enjoy  abun- 
dance of  earthly,  but  no  spiritual  comforts.  Psalm  17:14. 
There  are  others  for  whom  God  intends  everlasting  consola- 


300  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR. 

lion  in  the  world  to  come,  who  are  kept  low  as  to  spiritual 
comforts  in  this  world.  Psalm  68  :  15.  What  cause  have 
you  to  admire  the  bounty  of  God  to  you,  for  whom  there  is 
not  only  fulness  of  joy  prepared  in  heaven,  but  such  pre- 
cious foretastes  and  earnests  of  it  communicated  in  the  way 
thither. 

Advice  2.  Cleave  fast  to  Christ  awl  those  duties  of 
religion  in  which  you  have  found  the  best  comforts  that 
ever  your  souls  knew.  This  is  one  thing  God  intends  in  the 
communication  of  these  spiritual  refreshments,  to  attach 
your  souls  fast  to  the  ways  of  hohness.  The  Lord  knows 
that  temptations  will  befall  you ;  discouragements  enough 
you  will  be  sure  to  meet  with ;  but  the  enjoyments  of  God, 
which  you  have  met  with  in  prayer  and  hearing,  in  medita- 
tion and  sacraments,  should  engage  your  hearts  for  ever  to 
the  ways  of  obedience.  You  never  found  that  sweetness  in 
the  ways  of  sin  which  you  have  found  in  repentance  and 
faith.  "When  a  temptation  comes  baited  with  sinful  pleas- 
ures, think  of  Jotham's  parable  of  the  trees,  and  of  the 
answer  of  the  olive,  the  fig-tree,  and  the  vine.  Judges 
9  :  8-13,  and  say,  in  reference  to  thy  spiritual  enjoyments, 
Shall  I  leave  such  soul-refreshmg  comforts  as  these  for  the 
pleasures  of  sin  ?     God  forbid. 

Advice  3.  Conitnunicate  the  S'piritual  comforts  you 
enjoy,  for  the  benefit  arid  refreshment  of  others.  The  Lord 
never  intended  you  should  engross  the  comforts  of  his  Spirit 
to  yourselves,  nor  eat  your  pleasant  morsels  alone.  He 
comforts  us,  that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  that  are 
in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God,  2  Cor.  1:4,  It  is  true,  rehgion  lays 
not  all  open;  nor  yet  does  it  conceal  all.  There  needs  a 
great  deal  of  wisdom,  humility,  and  caution  to  secure  us 
from  pride  and  vanity  in  spirit,  while  we  communicate  our 
comforts  to  others.  Both  ostentation  and  self-appropriation 
of  our  comforts  are  against  scripture  law  ;  he  may  be  justly 


THE  aOSPEL  FEAST.  301 

suspected  that  opens  all,  and  so  may  he  too  that  conceals 
all.  Spiritual  comforts  are  not  diminished,  but  improved  by 
a  wise  and  humble  communication. 

Advice  4.  Be  frequent  in  renewing  the  acts  and  exer- 
cises of  faith.  Your  first  faith  brought  in  your  first  com- 
fort ;  your  renewing  and  repeating  those  precious  acts  of 
faith,  Mdll  bring  you  in  greater  stores  of  comfort  than  you 
yet  enjoy.  We  are  not  to  look  upon  faith  as  a  single,  but  a 
continued  act :  "To  whom  coming  as  unto  a  Hving  stone." 
1  Pet.  2:4.  Thy  soul,  Christian,  is  to  be  in  a  continual 
motion  towards  Christ ;  the  more  you  believe,  the  more  you 
will  rejoice.  You  see  the  door  through  which  comfort  comes 
into  your  soul.  Joy  is  the  daughter  of  faith,  Rom.  15  :  13  ; 
your  present  comfort  is  the  first  offspring  of  faith ;  but  there 
are  many  comforts  more  which  will  yet  be  born  to  your 
souls,  if  unbehef  prevent  it  not. 

Advice  5.  Take  heed  that  you  be  not  a  grief  to  Christ, 
who  Jiath  already  brought  so  much  comfort  to  you.  It  will 
be  a  sad  requital  if,  after  he  hath  given  you  the  joys  of 
heaven  to  drink,  you  shall  give  him  that  which  is  as  worm- 
wood and  gall ;  the  Lord  write  that  caution  upon  thy  soul : 
"  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed 
unto  the  day  of  redemption."  Eph,  4  :  30.  The  argument 
of  the  apostle  in  this  place  strongly  infers  coAition  from  com- 
fort. Clirist  hath  been  all  joy,  all  peace,  rest,  and  comfort 
to  you  ;  take  heed  you  be  not  a  grief  and  shame  to  him. 
The  intermission  of  thy  duties,  the  falling  of  thy  affections 
in  duties,  thy  rash  adventures  upon  sin,  will  be  a  grief  to 
the  heart  of  Christ,  who  hath  filled  thy  heart  with  so  much 
comfort ;  and  if  you  grieve  him,  you  cannot  expect  he 
should  comfort  you.  A  Httle  sm  may  rob  you  of  a  great 
deal  of  comfort. 

Advice  6.  Be  rwt  dejected  if  the  first  comforts  Christ 
gives  you  should  afterwards  abate,  or  be  taken  aifOAj  for  a 
time.     This  is  a  common  thing  in  the  experience  of  most 


302  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOR. 

Christians.  You  must  not  think  your  first  comforts  are  such 
fixed,  settled  things,  that  there  is  no  hazard  of  losing  them ; 
alas,  nothing  is  more  liable  to  change  than  the  joys  of  a 
Christian.  You  will  be  apt  to  lose  your  first  love.  Rev.  2:4; 
and  if  you  lose  your  first  love,  no  wonder  that  you  lose  your 
first  comforts.  Yet  if  it  should  so  fall  out,  be  not  cast  down 
and  discouraged ;  Christ  is  not  gone,  though  comfort  be 
gone ;  and  though  comfort  be  gone,  it  is  not  gone  for  ever  ; 
renew  thy  repentance,  faith,  and  obedience,  and  try  if  God 
will  not  renew  thy  comfort.  There  is  a  former  and  a  latter 
spring  of  joy ;  God  will  make  thy  comforts  spring  again. 
Besides,  thy  justification  is  steadfast,  though  thy  consolation 
is  not  so.  There  are  two  things  which  belong  to  a  Chris- 
tian  :  one  to  his  being,  namely,  union  with  Christ ;  another 
to  his  well-being,  nam.ely,  comfort  from  Christ.  The  latter 
is  contingent,  the  former  fixed  and  steadfast. 

Advice  7.  Be  filled  with  comioassion  to  others  icho  lack 
the  comforts  you  enjoy,  esiJecially  such  as  God  has  united 
to  you  as  natural  relatio7is.  Art  thou  a  father  or  mother, 
to  whom  God  has  given  the  comforts  and  soul-refreshments 
that  have  been  opened  in  this  discourse  ?  And  hast  thou 
no  compassion  for  thy  children,  who  never  yet  tasted  one 
drop  of  these  spiritual  consolations  ?  It  will  do  a  man  little 
good  to  be  feasted  abroad,  while  his  Avife  and  children  are 
starving  at  home.  Say  to  them  as  Paul,  in  another  case, 
**  I  would  to  God,  that  not  only  thou,  but  also  all  that  hear 
me  this  day,  were  both  almost  and  altogether  such  as  I  am, 
except  these  bonds."  Acts  26  :  29.  Religion  creates  bowels 
of  compassion.  0  tell  them  what  sweetness  there  is  in  the 
ways  of  godliness  ;  counsel,  plead,  and  pray  that  those  who 
are  yours  may  also  be  Christ's. 

Advice  8.  As  ever  you  expect  the  coiitinuance  and 
enlargement  of  your  comforts,  see  that  you  ivalh  circum- 
spectly. It  is  as  much  as  all  your  comfort  is  worth  to  give 
way  to  a  little  carelessness.     That  is  a  remarkable  expression 


THE  aOSPEL  FEAST.  303 

of  the  psalmist,  *'  I  will  hear  what  God  the  Lord  will  speak  ; 
for  he  M'ill  speak  peace  unto  his  people,  and  to  his  saints  : 
but  let  them  not  turn  again  to  folly."  Psalm  85  :  8.  Sin, 
in  this  text,  is  fitly  called  folly  ;  for  indeed  it  is  the  greatest 
folly  and  madness  in  the  world  to  divest  ourselves  of  such 
sweet  peace  and  comfort  by  returnmg  to  sin,  whieh  has  cost 
us  so  much  sorrow  before.  Are  you  willing  to  be  in  your 
former  darkness  and  troubles — to  exchange  the  pleasant 
light  you  noAV  enjoy  for  the  horrors  you  formerly  felt  ?  This 
you  must  do,  if  you  return  again  to  folly. 

Advice  9.  Lo7tg  for  heaven,  teller e  is  the  fulness  of 
those  joys  of  ivhich  these  you  noiv  taste  are  but  the  earnest 
and  firstfruits.  One  design  of  God  in  giving  them,  is  to 
set  us  a  longing  after  heaven,  to  help  our  conceptions,  and 
raise  our  afiections  :  if  these  be  so  sweet,  what  must  those 
be  ?  "  Ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first-fruits  of  the 
Spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting 
for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body."  Rom. 
8  :  23.  We  are  not  to  sit  down  satisfied,  and  say  we  have 
enough  of  these  first-fruits ;  they  are  given  to  make  us  long 
after  the  fulness  of  those  enjoyments.  This  answers  God's 
end  in  giving. 

Advice  10.  Imiwove  every  spiritual  comfort  you  have 
from  Christ  to  greater  cheerfulness  in  the  paths  of  obecli- 
ence  to  Christ.  This  is  another  end  for  which  God  com- 
municates them,  that  our  souls  being  refreshed  by  them,  we 
might  move  the  more  nimbly  in  the  paths  of  duty.  "  I  wdll 
run  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when  thou  shalt  enlarge 
my  heart."  Psalm  119:32.  God  expects  that  you  pray 
more  frequently,  meditate  more  delightfully,  and  perform 
every  duty  more  cheerfully ;  this  is  the  way  to  perpetuate 
your  comforts.  How  many  Christians  go  on  droopingly  in 
the  ways  of  duty  for  w^ant  of  the  encouragements  you 
enjoy. 


304  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

CHAPTER   XI. 

COMMUNION   BETWEEN   CHRIST  AND   BELIEV- 
ERS  ON  EARTH 

"I  WILL   COME   IN  TO  HIM,  AND   WILL  SUP  WITH  HIM,  AND  HE 
WITH  ME."    Rev.  3  :  20. 

We  have  heard  the  first  argument  of  Christ  to  persuade 
the  hearts  of  sinners  to  open  to  him,  that  he  will  come  in  to 
them,  and  that  not  empty-handed  ;  he  will  also  sup  with 
them.  And,  to  make  the  encouragement  complete  and  full, 
he  here  adds,  "and  he  with  me."  This  last  clause  sets 
forth  that  spiritual,  soul-refreshing  communion  which  is 
between  Christ  and  believers,  begun  in  this  world,  com- 
pleted and  perfected  in  the  world  to  come.  Hence  our 
eleventh  doctrine  is, 

There  is  a  7nutual,  siveet,  and  intimate  communion 
between  Jesus  Christ  and  believers  in  this  ivorld. 

Communion  with  Christ  is  frequent  in  the  lips  of  many 
men,  but  a  hidden  mystery  to  the  souls  of  most  men.  This 
atheistical  age  scoffs  at  and  ridicules  it  as  enthusiasm  and 
fanaticism  ;  but  the  saints  find  such  a  reality  and  incompar- 
able sweetness  in  it,  that  they  would  not  part  with  it  for  ten 
thousand  worlds.  When  the  Roman  soldiers  entered  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  found  no  image  there,  as  they  used 
to  have  in  their  own  idolatrous  temples,  they  gave  out  in  a 
jeer  that  the  Jews  worshipped  the  clouds.  Thus  ungodly 
men  scoff  at  the  most  solemn  and  sweetest  part  of  internal 
religion  as  a  mere  fancy  ;  but  the  thing  is  real,  sure,  and 
sensible.  If  there  be  truth  in  any  thing,  there  is  truth  in 
this,  that  there  is  real  intercourse  between  the  visible  and 
invisible  world,  between  Christ  and  the  souls  of  believers, 
which  we  here  call  communion.  "  Truly  our  fellowship  is 
with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."      1  John, 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  305 

1:3.  It  is  really  and  truly  so;  we  impose  not  upon  the 
world,  we  tell  you  no  more  than  we  have  felt.  The  life  of 
Enoch  is  called  his  walking  with  God.  Gen.  5  :  24.  0 
sweet  and  pleasant  walk  ;  all  pleasures,  all  joys  are  in  that 
walk  with  God.  "  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joy- 
ful sound  ;  they  shall  walk,  0  Lord,  in  the  light  of  thy  coun- 
tenance." Psalm  89  :  15.  The  joyful  sound  there  spoken 
of  was  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  which  called  the  people  to 
the  solemn  assemblies,  where  they  walked  in  the  light  of 
God's  countenance,  the  sweet  manifestations  of  his  favor ; 
and  because  the  world  is  so  apt  to  suspect  the  reality  and 
certainty  of  this  doctrine,  the  apostle  again  asserts  it :  "  Our 
conversation  is  in  heaven."  Phil.  3  :  20.  We  breathe 
below,  but  we  live  above ;  we  walk  on  earth,  but  our 
conversation  is  in  heaven.  To  understand  this  doctrine, 
three  things  must  come  under  consideration  :  what  com- 
munion with  Christ  is  ;  that  there  is  such  a  communion 
between  him  and  believers  ;  and  the  excellency  of  this  com- 
munion. 

I.  What  communion  with  Christ  is,  in  the  general 
nature  of  it.  To  open  this,  it  must  be  considered  that  there 
is  a  twofold  communion  :  a  state  of  communion,  and  actual 
communion.  The  first  is  essential  to  the  second ;  we  can 
have  no  actual  communion  with  the  Father,  Son,  or  Spirit, 
till  we  be  first  brought  into  a  state  of  communion.  This 
state  of  communion  is  in  Scripture  called  o\xx  felloivship  or 
partnership  with  Christ :  such  a  fellowship  as  merchants 
have  in  the  same  ship  and  cargo,  where  one  has  more  and  an- 
other less,  but  still  a  joint  though  unequal  interest ;  one  lives 
in  one  kingdom,  another  in  some  other  kingdom,  but  they 
are  jointly  interested  in  the  same  goods.  This  comparison 
must  not  be  stretched  beyond  its  intention,  which  is  to  show 
nothing  but  this,  that  Christ  and  believers  are  coheirs  in 
the  same  inheritance.  Hence  they  are  called  his  fellows  or 
equals  :  "  God,  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of 


306  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT   THE   DOOR. 

gladness  above  thy  fellows."  Psalm  45  :  7.  And  again, 
*'  If  children,  then  heirs  ;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with 
Christ."  Rom.  8  :  17.  Christ  endows  his  people,  gives 
them  a  title  not  only  to  himself,  but  to  those  good  things 
purchased  by  him,  yea,  and  the  very  glory  he  enjoys  in 
heaven.  "  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given 
them."     John  17:22. 

It  is  true,  there  are  some  thmgs  in  Christ  which  are  pe- 
culiar to  himself,  and  incommunicable  to  any  creature,  as 
his  eternity,  equality  with  his  Father,  etc.:  neither  have  we 
fellowship  in  his  mediatorial  work ;  we  have  the  fruits  and 
benefits  of  it,  but  no  partnership  with  him  in  the  glory  and 
honor  of  it ;  that  is  peculiarly  his  own :  and  though  it  is 
said  in  the  Scriptures,  that  believers  are  "  righteous  as  he  is 
righteous,"  1  John,  3:7,  yet  the  meaning  is  not  that  they 
can  justify  others  as  Christ  doth ;  no,  they  are  justified 
by  him,  but  cannot  communicate  righteousness  to  others. 
But  there  are  other  things  wherein  there  is  a  partnership 
between  Christ  and  his  people :  they  partake  with  him  in. 
the  spirit  of  sanctification  on  earth,  and  glory  in  heaven; 
the  same  spirit  of  holiness  Avhich  dwells  in  Christ  without 
measure,  is  communicated  by  him  to  the  saints  in  measure : 
"He  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit."  1  John,  4  :  13.  And  as 
Christ  communicates  his  Spirit  to  the  saints,  so  he  commu- 
nica.tes  the  glory  of  heaven  to  them  :  not  that  they  shall  be 
as  glorious  in  heaven  as  Christ  is ;  no,  he  will  be  known 
among  the  saints  in  glory,  as  the  sun  is  known  from  the 
stars.  .  Thus  briefly  of  the  state  of  communion,  which  is 
called  in  Scripture  our  "  being  made  nigh,"  Eph.  2  :  13,  and 
indeed  we  must  be  made  nigh  before  we  can  actually  draw 
nigh.  We  must  be  put  into  a  state  of  fellowship  before  we 
can  have  actual  communion  with  God. 

Besides  this  state  of  communion,  there  is  also  an  act- 
iml  co77Wiiiniori  which  the  saints  have  m  this  world  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son  in  the  duties  of  reUgion.     This  is 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  307 

our  supping  with  Christ,  and  he  with  us  :  and,  for  clearness' 
sake,  I  shall  consider, 

Negatively,  icliat  it  is  not;  for  I  find  persons  are  apt 
greatly  to  mistake  in  this  matter,  taking  that  for  coramumon 
with  God  which  is  not  so ;  and  here  let  it  be  noted : 

Communion  loiih  God  does  not  consist  in  the  bare  per- 
formance  of  religious  duties.     I  do  not  say  that  men  may 
have  communion  with  God  in  this  world  without  duties ;  it 
is  a  delusion  of  Satan  to  think  so ;  but  I  say,  that  commun- 
ion with  God  consists  not  in  the  mere  performance  of  du- 
ties.    Communion  and  duties  of  religion  are  two  thmgs, 
separable  one  from  the  other.    Men  may  multiply  duties  and 
yet  be  strangers  to  communion  with  God  in  them  ;  even 
days  of  humiliation  and  fasting  may  be  kept  by  souls  that 
are  estranged  from  communion  with  the  Lord :  "  Speak  unto 
all  the  people  of  the  land,  and  to  the  priests,  saying.  When 
ye  fasted  and  mourned  in  the  fifth  and  seventh  month,  even 
those  seventy  years,  did  ye  at  all  fast  unto  me,  even  to  me  ?" 
Zech.  7:5;  that  is,  Had  your  souls  pure  intentions  and 
respect  in  those  duties  to  my  glory?     Had  you  communion 
with  me,  or  I  with  you,  in  those  duties  ?     Did  you  ever  feel 
your  souls  in  those  days  wounded  for  sin  ?     Or  did  you  not 
fast  out  of  custom  ?     God  may  be  in  men's  mouths  and  at 
the  same  time  far  from  their  hearts.     Jer.  12:2.     Keligious 
words  may  flow  out  of  men's  lips  when  no  religion  touches 
their  hearts,  the  inward  powers  of  their  souls ;  you  cannot 
therefore  safely  depend  upon  outward  duties,  Christ  rejects 
this  plea.     Matt.  7  :  22.     Get  a  better  evidence   of  com- 
munion with  God  than  this,  or  you  will  certainly  come  short 
of  your  expectation.     I  know  you  not,  saith  Christ;  there 
was  never  any  spiritual  acquaintance  between  your  souls 
and  me  ;  I  know  you  not  in  a  way  of  approbation. 

Neither  do  all  stirrings  and  ivorUngs  of  the  affections 
in  duties  prove  communion  hetiueen  Christ  and  the  sold; 
for  it  is  possible,  yea,  common,  to  have  the  afibctions  raised 


308  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT   THE  DOOR. 

by  external  motives  in  the  duties  of  religion  :  this  you  see 
in  that  example,  Ezek.  33  :  32  :  "  Lo,  thou  art  unto  them  as 
a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and 
can  play  well  on  an  instrument ;  for  they  hear  thy  words, 
hut  they  do  them  not."  The  sweet  modulation  of  the 
prophet's  voice  was  like  the  skilful  touch  of  a  rare  musical| 
instrument,  which  in  a  natural  way  moved  and  excited' 
their  afiections.  Thus  John's  hearers  rejoiced  in  his  minis- 
try for  a  season.  This  is  very  apt  to  lead  souls  into  a  mis- 
take as  to  their  condition.  They  distinguish  not  between  the 
influences  that  come  upon  their  affections  from  without,  and 
those  that  are  inward,  divine,  and  spiritual. 

But  to  show,  positively,  luhat  comriiitnion  icith  God  is, 
we  must  consider  what  things  it  presupposes  in  us ;  and  in 
what  the  nature  of  it  consists. 

There  are  various  things  prerequired  and  p'esujoposed  to 
all  actual  commmiion  with  God  in  duties ;  and  where  these 
things  are  wanting,  men  have  no  communion  with  him. 
They  may  have  communion  with  his  people  and  his  ordi- 
nances, but  not  with  God  and  Christ  in  them. 

(1.)  Union  icith  Christ  is  fundamentally  necessary  to 
all  communion  with  him.  All  communion  is  founded  in 
union  ;  and  where  there  is  no  union,  there  can  be  no  com- 
munion. The  member  receives  notliing  from  the  head  un- 
less it  be  united  to  it ;  nor  the  branch  from  the  root.  "  All 
are  yours;  and  ye  are  Christ's."  1  Cor.  3  :  22,  23.  Here 
is  a  vast  possession,  but  all  founded  upon  union ;  union  ter- 
minates in  communion ;  and  the  closer  the  union,  the  fuller 
is  the  communion. 

Before  our  union  with  Christ  we  are  strangers  to  God, 
we  live  without  God  in  the  world,  Eph.  2:12:  it  is  in 
Christ  that  we  are  made  nigh ;  it  is  in  the  Beloved  that  we 
are  accepted.  While  we  are  in  the  state  of  alienation  from 
Christ,  we  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  communications  of 
joy  and  peace,  with  the  seals  and  earnests  of  the  Spirit,  than 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  309 

an  Indian  hath  with  the  privileges  of  London.  "  If  any 
man  open  to  me,  I  will  come  in  to  him  and  sup  with  him, 
and  he  with  me." 

(2.)  Communion  with  God  presupposes  the  habits  of 
grace  implanted  in  the  soul  bij  regeneration;  a  sound 
change  of  heart.  No  regeneration,  no  communion  :  "If  we 
say  that  we  have  fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  dark- 
ness, we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth."  1  John,  1:6.  The 
apostle  gives  the  lie  to  such  pretenders.  "  The  Lord  is  nigh 
unto  all  that  call  upon  him,  to  all  that  call  upon  him  in 
truth,"  Psa.  145  :  18  ;  the  latter  clause  restrains  all  spiritual 
commutiion  to  upright  souls  :  "  For  a  hypocrite  shall  not 
come  before  him."     Job  13  :  16, 

(3.)  Communion  with  God  not  only  supposes  grace  im- 
planted, but  also  implanted  grace  excited,  grace  in  action. 
A  man  may  have  the  habits  of  faith,  love,  and  delight  in 
him,  and  yet  be  without  actual  communion  with  God.  A 
believer  when  he  is  asleep,  and  performs  no  acts  of  grace,  is 
in  a  state  of  communion  with  God ;  but  if  he  will  have 
actual  communion,  his  faith,  love,  and  delight  must  be 
awakened  ;  they  must  not  lie  asleep  in  the  habit.  "  When 
thou  saidst.  Seek  ye  my  face  ;  my  heart  said  unto  thee,  Thy 
face,  Lord,  will  I  seek."  Psa.  27  :  8.  It  is  in  order  to  actual 
conununion  with  Christ  that  the  church  so  earnestly  begs 
fresh  influences  of  the  Spirit  to  excite  her  graces  into  action : 
"Awake,  0  north  wind  ;  and  come,  thou  south;  blow  upon 
my  garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow  out.  Let  my 
beloved  come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleasant  fruits." 
Sol.  Song  4:16.  And  though  believers  are  not  so  to  wait  for 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  as  to  neglect  the  outward  means 
of  engaging  their  hearts  to  approach  unto  God,  Jer.  30  :  21, 
yet  certainly  it  is  the  work  of  God's  Spirit,  and  without  him 
we  can  do  nothing  to  any  purpose.  The  seamen  may  trim 
the  sails,  weigh  the  anchor,  and  put  all  into  sailing  order ; 
but  till  a  gale  come  from  heaven  there  is  little  or  no  motion. 


310  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE  DOOR. 

The  same  Spirit  that  plants  the  habits,  excites  the  acts  of 
grace.  These  three  things  therefore  are  prerequisites  to  all 
communion  with  God, 

Now  let  us  more  directly  consider  in  what  this  heav- 
enly  PRIVILEGE    OF    COMMUNION    W^ITH    GoD    CONSISTS  \    and 

generally  it  will  be  found  to  lie  in  a  spiritual  correspondence 
between  Christ  and  the  soul.  God  sends  forth  influences 
upon  our  souls,  and  we,  by  the  assistance  of  his  Spirit,  make 
returns  again  unto  God.,  Communion  is  a  mutual  action; 
so  in  the  text,  "  I  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me." 
We  cry  to  God,  and  God  answers  that  cry  by  the  incomes 
of  spiritual  grace  upon  the  soul :  "In  the  day  when  I  cried 
thou  answeredst  me,  and  strengthenedst  me  with  strength 
in  my  soul."  Psa.  138  :  3.  More  particularly,  there  are 
many  ways  wherein  men  have  this  spiritual  correspondence 
or  communion  with  God,  as  in  the  contemplation  of  his  attri- 
butes, in  the  exercises  of  our  graces  in  religious  duties,  and 
in  his  various  providences.  In  all  these  the  saints  have 
communion  with  him. 

1.  There  is  a  sweet  communion  between  God  and  his 
people,  in  the  contemiolation  of  the  divine  attributes,  and 
the  impressions  God  makes  by  them  upon  our  souls  while 
we  meditate  on  them. 

(1.)  Sometimes  the  Lord  manifests  to  the  souls  of  his 
people  his  immense  greatness;  the  manifestation  of  Avhich 
attribute  makes  an  humbling  -impression  upon  the  soul,  and 
saints  seem  as  nothing  to  themselves.  Thus  when  Abraham, 
that  great  believer,  considered  the  greatness  of  the  God  with 
whom  he  had  to  do,  that  sight  of  God  seemed  to  reduce 
him  as  it  were  into  dust  and  ashes  :  "  Behold  now,  I  have 
taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the  Lord,  which  am  but  dust 
and  ashes,"  Gen.  18  :  27.  He  looks  upon  himself  as  a 
heap  of  vileness  and  unworthiness ;  so  David,  "  When  I 
consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers  ;  the  moon  and 
the  stars,  which  thou  hast  ordained ;  Lord,  what  is  man,  that 


COMMUNION   WITH   CHRIST.  311 

thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?''  Psa.  8  : 3,  4  ;  that  is,  "VYheii  I 
consider  what  a  great  God  the  Creator  of  the  world  is,  I  am 
astonished  that  he  should  set  his  heart  upon  so  vile  a  thing 
as  man.  When  men  compare  themselves  among  them- 
selves, and  measure  themselves  by  themselves,  their  spirits 
are  apt  to  swell  with  pride  ;  but  would  they  look  up  to  God, 
as  these  holy  men  did,  they  would  admire  his  condescension. 
And  this  is  communion  with  God  in  the  meditation  of  his 
immense  greatness. 

(2.)  The  representation  of  the  purity  and  holiness  of 
God,  working  shame  and  deep  abasement  in  the  soul  for  the 
pollutions  and  sin  that  are  in  it,  this  is  communion  with 
God,  and  an  excellent  way  of  fellowship  with  him.  Thus, 
when  a  representation  of  God  in  his  holmess  was  made  to 
the  prophet,  there  were  the  seraphim,  covering  their  faces 
with  their  wings  and  crying  one  to  another,  saying,  "  Holy, 
holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts  ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  glory."  The  effect  this  produced,  or  the  return  made  by 
the  prophet  to  this  manifestation  of  God  m  his  holiness,  was 
deep  abasement  of  soul  for  his  unsuitableness  to  meet  so 
holy  a  God  :  "  Then  said  I,  Woe  is  me  I  for  I  am  undone  ; 
because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips."  Isa.  6  :  3-5.  This 
is  communion  with  God  in  his  holiness.  Thus  Job,  who  had 
stiffly  defended  his  own  integrity  against  men,  when  God  en- 
ters the  lists  with  him  and  he  saw  with  what  a  great  and 
holy  God  he  had  to  do,  cried  out.  Job  40  :  4,  5,  "  Behold,  I 
am  vile ;  what  shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  my  hand 
upon  my  mouth.  Once  have  I  spoken,  but  I  will  not  an- 
swer ;  yea,  twice,  but  I  will  proceed  no  further."  That  is, 
I  am  silent ;  Lord,  I  have  done  :  I  could  answer  men,  but  I 
cannot  answer  thee  ;  thou  art  holy,  but  I  am  vile. 

(3.)  There  are  sometimes  representations  of  the  goodness 
and  mercy  of  God  made  to  the  souls  of  his  people.  When 
these  produce  an  ingenuous  melting  of  the  heart  into  an  hum- 
ble, thankful  admiration,  and  a  corresponding  care  of  pleas- 


312  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

ing  him  in  the  ways  of  obedience,  then  have  men  commun- 
ion with  God  in  his  goodness.  The  goodness  of  God  runs 
down  to  men  in  a  double  channel :  to  their  bodies,  in  exter- 
nal providences ;  and  to  their  souls,  in  spiritual  mercies. 
When  the  goodness  of  God,  either  way,  draws  forth  the  love 
and  gratitude  of  the  soul  to  the  God  of  our  mercies,  then 
have  we  real  communion  with  him.  Thus  Jacob  :  "  And 
Jacob  said,  0  God  of  my  father  Abraham,  and  God  of  my 
father  Isaac,  the  Lord  which  saidst  unto  me,  Heturn  unto 
thy  country  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  deal  well  with 
thee  :  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and 
of  all  the  truth  which  thou  hast  showed  unto  thy  servant ; 
for  with  my  staff  I  passed  over  this  Jordan,  and  now  I  am 
become  two  bands."  Gen.  32  :  9,  10.  Ah,  Lord,  I  see  a 
multitude  of  m.ercies  round  about  me,  and  the  least  of  them 
is  greater  than  L  So  "David  the  king  came  and  sat  before 
the  Lord,  and  said.  Who  am  I,  0  Lord  God,  and  what  is 
my  house,  that  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto  ?  And  yet 
this  was  a  small  thing  in  thine  eyes,  0  God ;  for  thou  hast 
also  spoken  of  thy  servant's  house  for  a  great  while  to  come, 
and  hast  regarded  me  according  to  the  estate  of  a  man  of 
high  degree.  What  can  David  speak  more  to  thee  ?" 
1  Chron.  17  :  16-18.  You  see  in  these  instances,  what 
effects  the  goodness  of  God,  even  in  inferior,  outward  mer- 
cies, produces  in  sanctified  hearts.  But,  if  you  come  to 
spiritual  mercies,  and  ponder  the  goodness  of  God  to  your 
souls,  in  pardoning,  accepting,  and  saving  such  sinful  crea- 
tures as  you  have  been ;  this  much  more  affects  the  heart, 
and  overwhelms  it  with  holy  astonishment;  as  you  see  in 
Paul :  I  "  was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and 
injurious;  but  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it  ignorantly 
in  unbelief:  and  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  was  exceed- 
ing abundant."  1  Tim.  1  :  13,  14.  So  when  pardoning 
grace  appeared  to  Mary,  that  notorious  sinner,  into  what  a 
flood  of  tears,  into  what  transports  of  love  did  the  sight  of 


COMMXTNION   WITH  CHRIST.  313 

mercy  cast  her  soul  !  She  wept  and  washed  her  Saviour's 
feet  with  tears  of  joy  and  thankfulness.  Luke  7  :  44.  No 
terrors  of  the  law,  no  frights  of  hell  melt  the  heart  like  the 
apprehensions  of  pardoning  mercy, 

(4.)  Sometimes  special  representations  of  the  veracity 
and  faithfulness  of  God  are  made  to  his  people,  begetting 
trust  and  holy  confidence  in  their  souls  ;  then  have  men 
communion  with  God  in  his  faithfulness.  Thus,  Hebrews 
13:5,  6,  "I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 
There  is  a  discovery  of  the  faithfulness  of  God  ;  and  what 
follows  upon  this  ?  "So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  the  Lord 
is  my  helper,  and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do  unto 
me."  Here  is  faithfulness  in  God,  producing  trust  and  con- 
fidence in  the  believer  ;  this  is  that  reciprocation,  that  sweet 
fellowship  and  communion  between  God  and  a  believer  with 
respect  to  his  fidelity.  "  Behold,  God  is  my  salvation ;  I 
will  trust  and  not  be  afraid."  Isa.  12:2.  And  truly, 
friend,  this  is  what  the  Lord  justly  expects  from  thee,  even 
trust  and  confidence  in  him,  thy  steady  dependence  on  him, 
in  return  for  all  the  manifestations  of  his  faithfulness  to  thee 
both  in  his  word  and  providence. 

(5.)  There  are  manifestations  of  the  displeasure  of  God 
by  the  hiding  of  his  face  and  the  frowns  of  his  providence  : 
when  these  produce  repentance  and  deep  humiliation  for 
sin,  an  unquietness,  a  restL^ssness  of  spirit  till  he  restore  his 
favor  and  manifest  his  reconciliation  to  the  soul,  even  here 
also  is  a  real  communion  between  God  and  the  soul.  "  Thou 
didst  hide  thy  face,  and  I  was  troubled."  Psa.  30  :  7.  Nor 
wdll  a  gracious  soul  rest  there,  but  will  take  pains  to  sue  out 
a  fresh  pardon.  "  Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness,  that 
the  bones  which  thou  hast  broken  may  rejoice.  Restore 
unto  me  the  joys  of  thy  salvation."     Psa.  51  :  8,  12. 

I  cannot  here  omit  to  point  out  a  great  mistake  even 
among  God's  o"v\ii  people  :  many  of  them  understand  not 
what  communion  there  should  be  with  God  under  the  man- 

Chri^it   Knocking.  14 


314  CHEIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

ifestalions  of  his  displeasure  for  sin.  They  know  the  affec- 
tionate meltings  of  their  souls  into  love  and  praise  to  be 
communion  with  God  ;  but  that  in  the  shame,  grief,  and 
sorrow  produced  in  them  by  the  manifestations  of  God's 
displeasure — that  even  in  these  things  there  may  be  com- 
munion with  God,  they  understand  not.  But  let  me  tell 
thee,  that  even  such  things  as  these  are  the  choice  fruits  of 
the  spirit  of  adoption,  and  that  in  them  thy  soul  hath  as 
real  and  beneficial  communion  with  God,  as  in  the  greatest 
transports  of  spiritual  joy.  0  it  is  blessed  to  be  before  the 
Lord  as  Ezra  was,  after  conviction  of  carelessness,  and 
spiritual  defilements;  saying  with  him,  "0  my  God,  I  am 
ashamed  and  blush  to  lift  up  my  face  to  thee,  my  God." 
Ezra  9:6.  Shame  and  blushing  are  as  excellent  signs  of 
communion  with  God  as  the  sweetest  smiles. 

(6.)  There  are  special  contemplations  of  the  om7ZZS6'fe?zce 
of  God,  producing  sincerity,  comfort  in  appeals,  and  recourse 
to  it  in  doubts  of  our  o^vn  uprightness  ;  and  this  also  is  an 
excellent  method  of  communion  with  God.  First,  when 
the  omniscience  of  God  strongly  obliges  the  soul  to  sincerity 
and  uprightness,  as  it  did  David  :  "  If  I  say.  Surely  the  dark- 
ness shall  cover  me  ;  even  the  night  shall  be  light  about 
me ;  yea,  the  darkness  hideth  not  from  thee  ;  but  the  night 
shineth  as  the  day  :  the  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike 
to  thee,"  Psa.  139:  11,  12,  compared  with  Psa.  18:  23, 
"  I  was  also  upright  before  him."  The  consideration  that 
he  was  always  before  the  eye  of  God  was  his  preservative 
from  iniquity,  yea,  from  his  own  iniquity.  Second,  when 
it  produces  comforts  in  appeals  to  it,  as  it  did  to  Heze- 
kiah  :  "  I  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  remember  now  how  I  have 
walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfect  heart,  and 
have  done  that  which  is  good  in  thy  sight."  2  Kings,  20  :  3. 
So  Job  also  appeals  to  this  attribute  :  "  Thou  knowest  that 
I  am  not  wicked."  Job  10  :  7.  So  did  Jeremiah:  "But 
thou,  0  Lord,  knowest  me  ;  thou  hast  seen  me,  and  tried 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  315 

my  lieart  toward  thee."  Jer.  12  :  3,  Third,  when  we  have 
recourse  to  it  under  doubts  and  fears  as  to  our  own  upright- 
ness. Thus  did  David  :  "  Search  me,  0  God,  and  know  my 
heart ;  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts  ;  and  see  if  there  be 
any  wicked  way  in  me."  Psa.  139  :  23,24.  In  all  these 
attributes  of  God,  Christians  have  real  and  sweet  commun- 
ion with  him. 

2.  The  next  method  of  communion  with  God  is  hi  the 
exercise  of  our  graces  in  the  duties  of  religion,  such  as 
prayer,  hearing,  and  the  sacraments  ;  in  all  which  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  influences  the  graces  of  his  people,  and 
they  return  the  fruits  thereof  in  some  measure  to  him.  As 
God  hath  planted  various  graces  in  regenerate  souls,  so  he 
hath  appointed  various  duties  to  exercise  and  draw  forth 
those  graces ;  and  when  they  do  so,  then  have  his  people 
sweet  communion  with  him.     And, 

(1.)  To  begin  with  the  first  grace  that  shows  itself  in  the 
soul  of  a  Christian,  to  wit,  repentance,  or  sorrow  for  sin. 
In  the  exercise  of  this  grace  of  repentance,  the  soul  pours 
out  itself  before  the  Lord  with  much  bitterness  and  broken- 
ness  of  heart,  and  spreads  forth  its  sorrows,  which  are  as  so 
much  seed  sown  ;  and  in  return  thereto  the  Lord  usually 
sends  an  answer  of  peace.  "  I  said,  I  will  confess  my  trans- 
gression unto  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity  of 
my  sin."  Psa.  32  :  5.  Here  is  a  voice  of  sorrow  sent  up, 
and  a  voice  of  peace  coming  down,  which  is  real  commun- 
ion between  God  and  man  in  the  exercise  of  repentance. 

(2.)  As  there  are  seasons  in  duty  wherein  the  saints 
exercise  their  repentance,  and  the  Lord  returns  peace  ;  so 
likewise  the  Lord  helps  them  in  their  duties  to  ^oX  faith,  in 
return  whereunto  they  find  from  the  Lord  inward  sup- 
port, rest,  and  refreshment.  "  I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had 
believed."  Psa.  27  :  13.  And  ofttimes  an  assurance  is 
given  them  of  the  mercies  they  have  acted  their  faith  about. 
1  John,  5  :  14. 


316  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOR. 

(3.)  The  Lord  many  times  draws  forth  eminent  degrees 
of  our  love  to  him  in  the  course  of  our  duties ;  the  heart  is 
filled  with  love  to  Christ.  The  strength  of  the  soul  is 
drawn  forth  to  Christ  in  love,  and  this  the  Lord  repays  in 
kind,  love  for  love  :  "  He  that  loveth  me  shall  be  loved  of 
my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  myself  to 
him.  My  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto 
him,  and  make  our  abode  with  him."  John  14:  21,23. 
Here  is  sweet  communion  with  God  in  the  exercise  of  love. 
0  what  enjoyment  do  Christians  thus  gain  in  their  duties 
and  exercise  of  graces  ! 

(4.)  To  mention  no  more,  in  the  duties  of  passive  obe- 
dience Christians  are  enabled  to  exercise  their  'patience, 
9?ieek?iess,  and  long-suffering  for  Christ ;  in  return  to  which 
the  Lord  gives  them  the  special  consolations  of  his  Spirit, 
double  returns  of  joy  :  "The  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God 
resteth  upon  them."  1  Pet.  4  :  14.  Tke  Lord  strengthens 
them  with  fortitude,  and  with  all  might  in  the  inner  man, 
unto  all  long-suffering  ;  and  the  reward  of  that  long-suffer- 
ing is  joyfulness.      Col.  1  :  11. 

3,  Besides  communion  with  God  in  the  contemplation 
of  his  attributes,  and  graces  exercised  in  the  course  of  duties, 
there  is  another  method  of  communion  with  God  in  the 
way  of  his  providences  ;  for  therein  also  his  people  walk  with 
him.  To  give  a  view  of  this,  let  us  consider  providence  in 
a  fourfold  aspect  towards  the  people  of  God. 

(1.)  There  are  afflictive  providences  and  rebukes  where- 
with the  Lord  chastens  his  children ;  this  is  the  discipline  of 
his  house  :  in  answer  whereunto,  gracious  souls  return  meek 
and  childlike  submission,  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit  of  adoption  ; 
they  are  brought  to  accept  the  punishment  of  their  iniquities. 
And  herein  lies  communion  with  God  under  the  rod.  This 
answer  to  the  rod  may  not  be  made  at  once,  for  there  is 
much  stubbornness  unmortiiied  in  the  best  hearts,  Heb.  12:7, 
but  this  is  the  fruit  it  shall  yield ;  and  when  it  doth,  there 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHUIST.  317 

is  real  communion  between  God  and  the  afflicted  soul.  Let 
not  Christians  mistake  themselves  :  if  when  God  is  smiting, 
they  are  humbled,  search  their  hearts,  and  bless  God  for  the 
discoveries  of  sin  made  by  their  afflictions ;  if  they  admire 
his  wisdom  in  timing,  moderating,  and  choosing  the  rod  ;  if 
they  kiss  it  with  childlike  submission,  and  say,  It  is  good 
for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted,  they  have  real  communion 
with  God,  though  it  may  be  for  a  time  without  joy. 

(2.)  There  are  times  when  providence  straitens  the 
people  of  God,  when  their  waters  of  comfort  ebb  and  run 
very  low,  and  their  wants  pinch ;  the  soul  then  exercises  in 
return  filial  dependence  upon  fatherly  care,  saying  with 
David,  "  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;  I  shall  not  want,"  Pfea. 
23  :  1  :  it  belongs  to  him  to  provide,  and  to  me  to  depend  ; 
I  will  trust  my  Father's  care  and  love.  Here  now  is  sweet 
communion  with  God  under  pinching  wants.  The  wants 
of  the  body  enrich  the  soul ;  outward  straits  are  the  occasion 
of  inward  enlargements.  See,  from  hence,  how  good  it  is  to 
have  an  interest  in  God  as  a  Father,  whatever  changes  of 
providences  may  come  upon  you. 

(3.)  There  are  seasons  wherein  the  Lord  exjjoses  his  peo- 
2)le  to  imminent  dangers,  when  to  the  eye  of  sense  there  is 
no  way  of  escape.  When  this  produces  trust  in  God,  and 
resignation  to  the  pleasure  of  his  will,  there  is  communion 
with  God  in  times  of  distress  and  difficulty.  Thus  David, 
Psa.  56:3:  "  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in  thee  :" 
Father,  I  see  a  storm  rising,  thy  poor  child  comes  under  his 
Father's  roof  for  shelter ;  for  wliither  should  a  distressed 
child  go  but  to  his  Father  ? 

(4.)  And  then,  as  to  the  events  of  doubtful  providences, 
when  the  soul  resigns  and  leaves  itself  to  the  wise  disposal 
of  the  will  of  God,  as  David  in  2  Sam.  15  :  26  :  "  Here 
am  I ;  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  in  his  sight :"  this 
is  real  and  sweet  communion  with  God  in  liis  providences. 
So  much  for  the  nature  of  communion  with  God. 


318  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR.      ■ 

II.  I  shall  show  the  reality  of  communion  with  God, 
and  prove  it  to  be  no  fancy.  I  confess  it  grieves  me  to  be 
put  upon  the  proof  of  this,  but  the  atheism  and  profaneness 
of  the  age  we  live  in  seem  to  make  it  necessary  ;  for  many 
men  will  allow  nothing  for  certain  but  what  falls  under  the 
cognizance  of  sense.  0  that  they  had  their  spiritual  senses 
exercised ;  then  they  would  sensibly  discern  the  reality  of 
these  things.  But  to  put  the  matter  out  of  question,  I  shall 
show  the  truth  and  reality  of  the  saints'  communion  with 
God  in  divers  ways. 

Evidence  1.  From  the  saints'  union  ivith  Christ.  If 
there  be  a  union  between  Christ  and  believers,  then  of 
necessity  there  must  be  communion  between  them  also. 
Now  the  whole  word  of  God  which  you  profess  to  be  the 
rule  of  your  faith,  plainly  asserts  this  union  between  Christ 
and  believers  ;  an  union  like  that  between  the  branches  and 
the  root,  John  15  :  4,  5,  or  that  between  the  head  and  the 
members,  Eph.  4:16.  Now,  if  Christ  be  to  believers  as 
the  root  to  the  branches,  and  as  the  head  to  the  members, 
then  of  necessity  there  must  be  a  communion  between  them  ; 
for  if  there  were  not  a  communion,  there  could  be  no  com- 
munications ;  and  if  no  communications,  no  life.  It  is  by 
the  communication  of  vital  sap  from  the  root  and  from  the 
head,  that  the  branches  and  members  subsist  and  live. 

Evidence  2.  There  is  a  cohabitation  of  Christ  with 
believers;  he  dwells  with  them,  yea,  he  dwells  in  them: 
"  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them."  2  Cor.  6  :  16. 
The  soul  of  a  believer  is  the  temple  of  Christ ;  yea,  his  liv- 
ing temple.  1  Pet.  2  :  5,  And  if  Christ  dw^ell  in  them  and 
walk  in  them,  then  certainly  there  must  be  communion 
between  him  and  them ;  if  they  live  together,  they  must 
converse  together.  A  man  indeed  may  dwell  in  his  house, 
and  yet  cannot  be  said  to  have  communion  with  it ;  but  the 
saints  are  a  living  house,  they  are  the  living  temples  of 
Christ ;  and  he  cannot  dwell  in  such  temples  capable  of 


COMMUNION  AVITH  CHRIST.  319 

eonimunion  -witli  him,  and  yet  have  no  communion  with 
them. 

Evidence  3.  The  reahty  of  communion  between  God 
and  the  saints  is  undeniably  evinced  by  the  spiritual  rela- 
tions into  which  God  has  taken  them.  Every  believer  is 
the  child  of  God  and  the  spouse  of  Christ.  God  is  the 
believer's  Father,  and  the  church  is  the  Lamb's  wife. 
Christ  calls  the  believer  not  only  his  servant,  but  his  friend. 
*'  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants  ;  for  the  servant  knoweth 
not  what  his  Lord  doeth  :  but  I  have  called  you  friends." 
John  15  :  15.  Now,  if  God  be  the  believer's  Father,  and 
the  believer  be  God's  own  child,  certainly  there  must  be 
communion  between  them.  If  Christ  be  the  believer's  hus- 
band, and  the  believer  be  Christ's  spouse,  there  must  be  com- 
nmnion  between  them.  What,  no  communion  between  the 
Father  and  his  children,  the  husband  and  the  wife  ?  We 
must  either  renounce  and  deny  all  such  relation  to  him, 
and  therein  renounce  our  Bibles  ;  or  else  yield  the  conclu- 
sion that  there  is  a  real  communion  betw^een  Christ  and 
believers. 

Evidence  4.  The  reality  of  communion  with  God  ap- 
pears fro77i  the  institution  of  the  ordinances  and  duties  of 
religion,  to  maintain  daily  communion  between  Christ  and 
his  people.  As  to  instance  but  one  institution,  that  of 
prayer — a  duty  appointed  on  purpose  for  the  soul's  meeting 
w4th  God,  and  communion  with  him  :  "  Draw  nigh  to  God, 
and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  you."  James  4:8.  Now,  to 
what  purpose  can  such  an  ordinance  be  appointed  for  the 
soul's  drawing  nigh  to  God,  and  God  to  it,  if  there  be  no 
such  thing  as  commmiion  to  be  enjoyed  with  him  ?  If  com- 
munion with  God  were  a  mere  phantom,  as  the  carnal 
world  thinks  it  to  be,  what  encouragement  have  the  saints 
to  bow  their  knees  to  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  ?  But  surely  there  is  an  access  to  God  in 
prayer :  *'  In  whom  we  have  boldness,  and  access  with  con- 


320  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT  THE   DOOE,. 

fidence."  Epli.  3  :  12.  Access  to  what  1,  If  God  be  not 
there,  and  there  can  be  no  communion  with  him,  what 
means  that  access  ?  "  And  there  I  will  meet  with  thee, 
and  I  will  commune  with  thee  from  above  the  mercy-seat." 
Exod.  25  :  22.  Duties  had  never  been  appointed,  but  for 
the  sake  of  God's  rommuning  with  us,  and  we  with  him. 

Evidence  5.  This  is  yet  further  proved  from  the  mutual 
desires  both  of  Christ  and  his  people  to  be  i?t  siveet  and 
intimate  communion  one  ivith  the  other.  The  Scripture 
speaks  much  of  the  saints'  vehement  desires  after  commun- 
ion with  Christ,  and  of  Christ's  desires  after  communion 
with  the  saints,  and  of  both  jointly.  The  saints'  desires  after 
communion  wdth  him  are  frequent  in  the  Scriptures  ;  see 
Psa.  G3  :  1-3  ;  42  :  1  ;  119  :  20,  and  the  like  throughout 
the  New  Testament.  And  Christ  is  no  less  desirous,  yea, 
he  is  much  more  desirous  of  communion  with  us  than  we 
are  with  him.  Consider  that  expression  of  his  to  the  spouse, 
in  Sol.  Song  8  :  13  :  "  Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens, 
the  companions  hearken. to  thy  voice  ;  cause  me  to  hear  it." 
As  if  he  had  said,  0  my  people,  you  frequently  converse  one 
with  another,  you  talk  daily  together  ;  why  shall  not  you 
and  I  converse  with  each  other  ?  You  speak  often  to  men  ; 
0  that  you  would  speak  more  frequently  to  me  I  "  Let  me 
see  thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy  voice  ;  for  sweet  is  thy 
voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  comely."  Sol.  Song  2  :  14. 
And  then  these  desires  are  mutually  expressed  one  to  another. 
Christ  has  said,  "  Surely  I  come  quickly."  And  the  church 
replies,  "Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus."  Kev.  22  :  20. 
Now,  if  there  be  such  vehement  mutual  desires  after  com- 
munion between  Christ  and  his  people  in  this  world,  then 
certainly  there  is  such  a  thing  as  real  communion  between 
them,  or  else  both  must  live  a  very  restless  and  dissatisfied  life. 

Evidence  6.  The  mutual  complaints  of  the  interrup- 
tion of  communion  plainly  prove  there  is  such  a  thing.  If 
God  complain  of  his  people  for  their  estrangements  from 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  321 

him,  and  the  saints  complain  to  God  of  his  silence  to  them, 
and  the  hidings  of  his  face  from  them,  surely  there  must  be 
a  communion  between  them,  else  there  could  be  no  ground 
of  complaints  for  the  interruptions  of  it.  But  God  does 
complain  of  his  people  for  their  estrangements  from  him. 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  remember  thee,  the  kindness  of 
thy  youth,  the  love  of  thine  espousals.  "What  iniquity  have 
your  fathers  found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me  ?" 
Jer.  2  :  2,  5.  As  if  he  should  say,  You  and  I  have  been 
better  acquainted  in  days  past ;  what  cause  have  I  given  for 
your  estrangements  from  me  ?  And  thus  Christ  complains 
of  the  church  of  Ephesus  ;  after  he  had  commended  many 
things  in  her,  one  thing  grieves  him  :  "  Nevertheless,  I  have 
somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left  thy  first 
love."  Rev.  2:4.  And  then  on  the  other  side,  when  the 
Lord  hides  his  face  and  seems  to  estrange  himself  from  his 
people,  what  sad  lamentations  and  moans  do  they  make  about 
it,  as  an  affliction  they  know  not  how  to  bear.  Thus  the 
Psalmist  :  "  Lord,  why  castest  thou  off  my  soul ;  why  hidest 
thou  thy  face  from  me  ?"  Psa.  88  :  14.  "  Hide  not  thy 
face  far  from  me  ;  put  not  thy  servant  away  in  anger."  Psa. 
27  :  9.     This  is  what  they  cannot  bear. 

Evidence  7.  The  reality  of  communion  with  God  is 
made  visible  to  others,  in  the  effects  of  it  ujjon  the  saints 
who  enjoy  it.  There  are  visible  signs  and  tokens  of  it 
appearing  to  the  conviction  of  others.  Thus  that  marvel- 
lous change  which  appeared  on  the  very  countenance  of  Han- 
nah, after  she  had  poured  out  her  heart  in  prayer,  and  the 
Lord  had  answered  her  :  it  is  said,  "  The  woman  went 
her  way,  and  her  countenance  was  no  more  sad."  1  Sam. 
1  :  18.  You  might  have  read  in  her  face  that  God  had 
spoken  peace  and  satisfaction  to  her  heart.  Thus,  when 
the  disciples  had  been  with  Christ,  the  mark  of  communion 
with  him  was  visible  to  others  :  "  Now,  when  they  saw  the 
boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and  perceived  that  they  were 

14=^ 


322  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  they  marvelled  ;  and  they  took 
knowledge  of  them  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus."  Acts 
4  :  13.  It  is  sweet,  Christian,  when  the  cheerfulness  and 
spirituality  of  thy  conversation  with  men  shall  convince 
others  that  thou  hast  been  with  Jesus. 

Evidence  8.  We  may  prove  the  reality  of  communion 
with  God,  from  tlie  impossibility  of  sustaining  the  troubles 
^vhich  the  saints  have  luithout  it.  If  prayers  did  not  go  up 
and  answers  come  down,  there  were  no  living  for  a  Christian 
in  this  world.  Prayer  is  the  outlet  of  the  saints'  sorrows, 
and  the  inlet  of  their  supports  and  comforts.  Rom.  8  :  26. 
Say  not  that  other  men  have  their  troubles  as  well  as  the 
saints,  and  yet  bear  them  without  the  help  of  communion 
with  God.  It  is  true  that  carnal  men  have  their  troubles, 
and  those  troubles  are  often  too  heavy  for  them.  The  sor- 
rows of  the  world  work  death ;  but  carnal  men  have  no 
such  troubles  as  the  saints  have,  for  they  have  their  inward, 
spiritual  troubles,  as  well  as  their  outward  troubles.  And 
inward  troubles  are  the  sinking  troubles ;  but  thus  the 
strength  of  God  comes  to  succor  them  :  and  except  they  had 
a  God  to  go  to,  and  draw  comfort  from,  they  could  never 
bear  them.  "  I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had  believed."  Psa. 
27:13.  Paul  had  sunk  under  the  buffetings  of  Satan, 
unless  he  had  gone  once  and  again  to  his  God,  and  received 
the  answer,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."    2  Cor.  12:9. 

Evidence  9.  We  argue  the  reality  of  communion  with 
God  from  the  end  of  the  saiiits'  vocation.  We  read  fre- 
quently in  Scripture  of  effectual  calling;  and  what  is  that 
to  which  God  calls  his  people,  out  of  the  state  of  nature, 
but  unto  fellowship  and  communion  with  Jesus  Christ  ? 
"God  is  faithful,  by  whom  ye  were  called  unto  the  fellow- 
ship of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  ,  1  Cor.  1  :  9.  They 
are  called,  you  see,  into  a  life  of  communion  with  Christ : 
therefore  there  is  such  a  communion,  else  the  saints  are 
called  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  fancy,  instead  of  a  privilege ; 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  323 

which  is  the  greatest  reproach  that  can  be  cast  upon  the 
faithful  God  that  called  them. 

Evidence  10.  The  characters  and  description  givoi  of 
the  saints  in  ScriiJture,  evidently  show  their  life  of  com- 
munion with  God.  The  men  of  this  world  are,  in  Scrip- 
ture, manifestly  distinguished  from  the  people  of  God  ;  they 
are  called,  the  children  of  this  world ;  but  the  saints,  the 
children  of  light,  Luke  16:8.  They  are  said  to  be  after  the 
flesh,  but  saints  to  be  after  the  Spirit.  Rom.  8:5.  They 
mind  earthly  things,  but  the  conversation  of  the  saints  is  in 
heaven.  Phil.  3  :  19,  20.  By  all  wdiich  it  undeniably  appears 
that  there  is  a  reahty  in  the  doctrine  of  communion  between 
Christ  and  his  people.  We  are  not  imposed  upon ;  it  is  no 
cunningly  devised  fable,  but  a  thing  whose  foundation  is  as 
sure  as  its  nature  is  sweet. 


324  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

COMMUNION    BETWEEN    CHRIST    AND    BELIEV- 
ERS  ON   EARTH  — CONTINUED. 

"I  WILL    COME   IN   TO  HBI,   AND   WILL   SUP  WITH  HIM,  AND  HE 
WITH   me:'    Rev.  3:20. 

I  SHALL  now  proceed  to  show  you. 

III.  The  transcendent  excellency  of  this  life  of  com- 
munion with  God  :  it  is  the  hfe  of  our  Ufe,  the  joy  of  our 
hearts ;  a  heaven  upon  earth — as  will  appear  by  these  twenty 
excellencies  thereof. 

Excellency  1.  It  is  the  assiviilati?ig  instrument  where- 
by the  soul  is  moulded  after  the  image  of  God.  This  is  the 
excellency  of  communion  with  God,  to  make  the  soul  like 
him.  There  is  a  twofold  assimilation  or  conformity  of  the 
soul  to  God,  the  one  perfect  and  complete,  the  other  imper- 
fect and  in  part.  Perfect  assimilation  is  the  privilege  of  the 
perfect  state,  resulting  from  the  immediate  vision  and  per- 
fect communion  the  soul  has  with  God  in  glory  :  "  When 
he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him 
as  he  is."  1  John,  3:2.  Perfect  vision  produces  perfect 
assimilation ;  but  the  soul's  assimilation  or  imperfect  con- 
formity to  God  in  this  world,  is  wrought  and  gradually  car- 
ried on  by  daily  communion  with  him.  And  as  our  com- 
munion with  God  here  grows  up  more  and  more  into  sphit- 
uality  and  power,  so  in  an  answerable  degree  does  our 
conformity  to  him  advance:  "But  we  all,  with  open  face 
beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed 
into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord."  2  Corinth.  3  :  18.  All  sorts  of  communion 
among  men  have  an  assimilating  efficacy  :  he  that  walks  iu 
vain  company  is  vainer  than  he  was  before  ;  and  he  that 
walks  in  spiritual,  heavenly  company,  will  be  more  serious 
than  before.     But  nothing  so  transforms  the  spirit  of  a  man 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  325 

as  communion  with  God,  Those  arc  most  hke  God  that 
converse  most  frequently  with  him.  The  beauty  of  the  Lord 
is  upon  those  souls  ;  it  changes  the  spirit  of  a  man  after  the 
divine  pattern. 

Excellency  2.  It  is  the  beauty  of  the  soul,  in  the  eyes 
of  God  and  all  good  men  ;  it  makes  the  face  to  shine.  No 
outward  splendor  attracts  like  this  ;  it  makes  a  man  the  most 
desirable  companion  in  the  whole  world  :  "  That  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may 
have  fellowship  with  us  ;  and  truly  our  fellowship  is  with 
the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  1  John,  1  :  3. 
This  is  the  great  inducement  the  apostle  makes  use  of  to 
draw  the  world  into  fellowship  with  the  saints,  that  their 
fellowship  is  with  God.  And  if  there  were  ten  thousand 
other  inducements,  there  could  be  none  like  this.  You  read 
of  a  blessed  time,  when  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  holiness ; 
when  the  Jews,  now  as  a  lost  generation,  shall  be  called, 
and  an  eminent  degree  of  sanctification  shall  be  visible  in 
them  ;  and  then  see  the  effect  of  this  :  "  In  those  days  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  ten  men  shall  take  hold,  out  of  all 
languages  of  the  nations,  even  shall  take  hold  of  the  skirts 
of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saying.  We  will  go  with  you ;  for  we 
have  heard  that  God  is  with  you."  Zech.  8  :  23.  This 
is  the  powerful  attractive,  the  Lord  is  with  you ;  it  is  the 
effect  of  communion  with  God,  which  makes  the  righteous 
more  excellent  than  his  neighbor.  Prov.  12  :  26.  What  a 
visible  difference  does  this  make  between  one  man  and 
another.  How  heavenly,  sweet,  and  desirable  are  the  con- 
versation and  company  of  some  men ;  how  frothy,  burden- 
some, and  unprofitable  is  the  company  of  others ;  and  what 
makes  the  difference  but  only  this,  the  one  walks  in  commun- 
ion with  God,  the  other  is  ahenated  from  the  life  of  God  ? 

Excellency  3.  It  is  the  ceyitre  on  luhich  rests  the  ivearij 
soul — the  rest  and  refreshment  of  a  man's  spirit :  "Return 
unto  thy  rest,  0  my  soul."     Psa.  116  ;  7.     When  we  attain 


326  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOR. 

perfect  communion  with  God  in  heaven,  we  attain  to  perfect 
rest ;  and  all  the  rest  the  spirit  of  man  finds  on  earth,  is  in 
communion  with  God.  Take  a  sanctified  person  who  has 
intermitted  for  some  time  liis  communion  with  the  Lord,  and 
ask  him,  Is  your  soul  at  rest  and  ease  ?  He  will  tell  you.  No. 
The  motions  of  his  soul  are  like  those  of  a  member  of  his 
body  out  of  joint,  neither  comely  nor  easy.  Let  him  recover 
his  spiritual  frame  again,  and  with  it  he  recovers  his  rest 
and  comfort.  Christians,  you  meet  Avitli  a  variety  of  troub- 
les in  this  world  ;  many  a  sweet  comfort  is  cut  ofi^,  many  a 
hopeful  project  dashed  by  the  hand  of  Providence  ;  and 
w^iat,  think  you,  is  the  meaning  of  these  blasting,  disappoint- 
ing providences  ?  Surely  this  is  their  design  and  errand,  to 
disturb  your  false  rest  in  the  bosom  of  the  creature  ;  to  pluck 
away  the  pillows  you  were  laying  your  heads  upon,  that  you 
may  be  led  back  to  God,  recover  your  lost  communion  with 
him,  and  say  with  David,  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  0  my 
soul."  Sometimes  we  are  settling  ourselves  to  rest  in  an 
estate,  in  a  child,  or  the  like  :  at  such  a  time  it  is  usual  for 
God  to  say.  Go,  losses,  smite  such  a  man's  estate  ;  go,  death, 
and  take  away  the  desire  of  his  eyes  with  a  stroke,  that  my 
child  may  find  rest  nowhere  but  in  me.  God  is  the  ark  ; 
the  soul,  like  the  dove  Noah  sent  forth,  let  it  fly  where  it 
will,  shall  find  no  rest  till  it  come  back  to  God. 

Excellency  4.  It  is  the  desire,  of  all  gracious  souls 
throitghout  the  world.  Wherever  there  is  a  gracious  soul, 
its  desires  work  after  communion  with  God.  As  Christ  was 
called,  "  The  Desire  of  all  nations,"  Hag.  2  :  7,  so  communion 
with  him  is  the  desire  of  all  nations ;  and  this  speaks  the 
excellency  of  it :  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord, 
that  will  I  seek  after  ;  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple."  Psa.  27  :4.  That  is 
to  enjoy  communion  with  liim  in  the  public  duties  of  his 
worship.     One  thing  have  I  desired,  that  is,  one  thing  above 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  327 

all  others ;  such  an  one,  that  if  God  shall  give  it  me,  I  can 
comfortably  bear  the  want  of  other  things.  Let  liim  deny 
me  what  he  will,  if  he  will  not  deny  me  this  one  thing ; 
this  shall  richly  recompense  the  want  of  all  other  things. 
Hence  the  desires  of  the  saints  are  so  intense  after  this  one 
thing :  "As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  pant- 
eth  my  soul  after  thee,  0  God  ;"  and,  "  My  soul  fainteth  for 
thy  salvation ;"  "  When  wilt  thou  come  unto  me?"  Psalm 
42  ^  1  ;  1 19  :  81  ;  101  :  2.  No  duties  can  satisfy  without  it, 
the  soul  cannot  bear  the  delay,  much  less  the  denial  of  this 
communion.  Christians  reckon  their  lives  worth  nothing 
without  it.  Ministers  may  come,  ordinances  and  sabbaths 
may  come ;  but  there  is  no  satisfaction  to  the  desires  of  a 
gracious  heart,  till  God  comes  too  :  "  0  when  wilt  thou 
come  unto  me  ?" 

Excellency  5.  As  it  is  the  desire,  so  it  is  the  delight 
of  all  the  children  of  God,  both  in  heaven  and  earth.  As 
communion  with  the  saints  is  the  delight  of  Christ,  "  Let 
me  hear  thy  voice  ;"  and  again,  "  The  companions  hearken 
to  thy  voice;  cause  me  to  hear  it;"  so  communion  with 
Christ  is  the  delight  of  his  people  :  "  I  sat  down  under  his 
shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my 
taste."  Sol.  Song  2  :  14 ;  8:13;  2:3.  It  is  the  pleasure  of 
Christ  to  see  the  earnest  countenances,  the  blusliing  cheeks, 
the  weeping  eyes  of  his  people  on  their  knees  ;  and  it  is  the 
delight  of  the  saints  to  see  a  smile  upon  his  face,  and  to  hear 
a  voice  of  pardon  and  peace  from  his  lips.  I  must  tell  you, 
Christians,  you  must  look  for" no  such  delights  as  these  in 
any  earthly  enjoyment ;  there  are  none  better  than  these, 
till  you  come  home  to  glory.  Communion  with  God  then 
appears  most  excellent,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  desire  and 
delight  of  all  gracious  souls. 

Excellency  6.  It  is  the  eiivy  of  Satan,  that  which 
mortifies  and  disappoints  that  wicked  spirit.  0  how  it  grates 
and  galls  that  proud  and  envious  spirit,  to  see  men  enjoying 


328  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

the  pleasure  of  communion  with  God,  from  which  he  himself 
is  fallen  and  cut  off  for  ever ;  to  see  the  saints  in  delightful 
communion  with  Christ,  while  he  feels  the  pangs  of  horror 
and  despair  :  this  he  cannot  endure  to  behold.  And  there- 
fore you  find  in  your  experience,  that  times  of  communion 
with  God  are  usually  busy  times  of  temptation  from  the 
devil.  "And  he  showed  me  Joshua  the  high-priest  standing 
before  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  Satan  standing  at  his  right 
hand  to  resist  him."  Zech.  3:1.  It  is  well  for  thee,  Chris- 
tian, that  thou  hast  an  Advocate  standing  at  God's  right 
hand  to  resist  and  frustrate  his  attempts  upon  thee  ;  other- 
wise Satan  would  thus  destroy  your  communion  with  God, 
and  make  that  which  is  now  your  delight,  your  terror. 
Many  ways  doth  the  devil  oppose  the  saints'  communion 
with  God  :  sometimes  he  labors  to  divert  them  from  it ;  this 
business  shall  fall  in,  or  that  occasion  fall  out,  on  purpose  to 
divert  thy  soul's  approach  to  God  ;  but  if  he  cannot  prevail 
in  this,  then  he  labors  to  distract  your  thoughts  into  a  thou* 
sand  vanities ;  or  if  he  succeed  not  there,  he  attacks  you  in 
your  return  from  duty,  with  spiritual  pride  and  security. 
These  fierce  oppositions  of  hell  show  the  worth  and  excel- 
lency of  communion  with  God. 

Excellency  7.  It  is  the  design  of  all  the  ordmance?, 
and  duties  of  religion.  God  has  instituted  every  ordinance 
and  duty,  whether  public  or  private,  to  beget  and  maintain 
communion  between  himself  and  our  souls.  What  are  ordi- 
nances, duties,  and  graces,  but  perspective-glasses  to  give  us 
a  sight  of  God  and  help  us  to  communion  with  him  ?  God 
never  intended  his  ordinances  to  be  our  rest,  but  mediums  of 
communion  with  himself,  who  is  our  true  rest.  When  wo 
go  into  a  boat,  it  is  not  with  an  intention  to  dwell  there,  but 
to  be  ferried  over  the  water  where  our  business  lies.  If  a 
man  miss  of  communion  with  God  in  the  best  ordinance  or 
duty,  it  yields  him  little  comfort.  He  comes  back  from  it, 
like  a  man  that  hath  travelled  many  miles  to  meet  a  dear 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  329 

friend  on  special  business,  but  met  with  disappointment,  and 
returns  sad  and  dissatisfied.  God  appoints  ordinances  to  be 
meeting-places  with  himself  in  this  world  :  "  Thou  shalt 
put  the  mercy-seat  above  upon  the  ark  ;  and  in  the  ark  thou 
shalt  put  the  testimony  that  I  shall  give  thee.  And  there  I 
will  meet  with  thee,  and  I  will  commune  with  thee  from 
above  the  mercy-seat,  from  between  the  two  cherubims." 
Exodus  25  :  21,  22.  It  was  not  the  sight  of  the  golden 
cherubims,  or  of  the  ark  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  which 
could  have  satisfied  Moses,  had  not  the  special  presence  of 
God  been  there,  and  had  he  not  held  communion  with  him. 
"  0  God,  thou  art  my  God  ;  early  will  I  seek  thee  :  my  soul 
tliirsteth  for  thee,  my  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and 
thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is ;  to  see  thy  power  and  thy 
glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary."  Psalm 
63  :  1,  2,  Magnificent  structures,  or  artificial  ornaments  of 
places  of  worship,  are  of  little  account  with  a  gracious  soul ; 
it  is  the  presence  of  God  and  communion  with  him  which 
is  the  beauty  and  glory  the  saints  desire  to  behold. 

Excellency  8.  It  is  the  evidejice  of  our  union  ivith 
Christ  and  interest  m  him.  All  union  with  Christ  must 
evidence  itself  by  a  life  of  communion  with  him,  or  our  pre- 
tensions to  it  are  vain  and  groundless.  There  are  many — I 
wish  there  were  more — inquiring  after  evidences  and  signs 
of  their  union  with  Christ ;  here  is  an  evidence  that  can 
never  fail  you  :  Do  you  live  in  communion  with  him.  ?  May 
your  life  be  called  a  walking  with  God,  as  Enoch's  was  ? 
Then  you  may  be  sure  you  have  union  with  him  ;  and  this  is 
so  sure  a  sign,  as  that  death  itself,  which  usually  discovers 
the  vanity  of  false  signs,  will  never  be  able  to  destroy  it. 
Hezekiah  could  say,  "  I  beseech  thee,  0  Lord,  remember  now 
how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth  and  with  a  perfect 
heart,  and  have  done  that  which  is  good  in  thy  sight." 
2  Kings,  20  :  3.  0,  professors,  it  will  be  a  dreadful  thing, 
whatever  ungrounded  hopes  and  false  comforts  you  now 


330  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

have,  to  find  them  shrinking  away  from  you,  as  certainly 
they  will  at  death  ;  and  all  on  this  account :  "I  have  been 
a  man  of  knowledge,  have  been  frequent  in  the  external 
duties  of  religion,  but  my  heart  was  not  in  them ;  I  had 
no  communion  with  the  Lord  in  them,  and  now  God  is  a  ter- 
ror to  my  soul.  I  am  going  to  his  awful  bar,  and  have  not 
one  sound  evidence  to  carry  with  me."  That  is  a  remark- 
able text  in  Gal.  5  :  25,  "  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit,  let  us 
also  walk  in  the  Spirit ;"  that  is,  let  us  evidence  the  life  of 
grace  in  us  by  exercising  that  grace  in  a  life  of  communion 
with  G  od.  When  all  is  said,  this  is  the  surest  evidence  of  our 
union  wdth  Christ ;  and  no  gifts  or  performances  whatever 
can  amount  to  evidence  of  union  with  Christ  without  it. 

Excellency  9.  It  is  ease  in  all  pains,  sweet  and  sensi- 
ble ease  to  a  troubled  soul.  As  the  bleeding  of  a  vein  cools, 
eases,  and  refreshes  a  feverish  body ;  so  the  opening  of  the 
soul  by  acts  of  communion  with  God,  gives  ease  to  a  bur- 
dened soul :  griefs  are  eased  by  groans  heavenward.  Many 
souls  are  deeply  laden  with  their  own  fears,  cares,  and  dis- 
tresses ;  no  refreshment  for  such  a  soul,  no  anodyne  in  the 
whole  world  like  communion  with  God.  '  Psa.  32  :  1,  2. 
How  did  troubles  afflict  David's  soul ;  night  and  day  God's 
hand  was  heavy  on  him  ;  his  soul,  as  Elihu  speaks,  was  like 
bottles  full  of  new  wine  :  he  must  speak  to  God  ;  and  so  he 
did,  and  was  refreshed  by  it :  "I  said,  I  will  confess  my 
transgressions  unto  the  Lord ;  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity 
of  my  sin."  Ver.  5.  It  would  grieve  one  to  see  how  many 
distressed  souls  carry  their  troubles  up  and  down  the  world, 
making  their  complaints  to  one  and  another ;  but  obtain  no 
ease.  Away  to  thy  God,  poor  Christian ;  get  thee  into  thy 
closet,  pour  out  thy  soul  before  him ;  and  that  ease  which 
thou  seekest  in  vain  elsewhere,  will  there  be  found,  or  no- 
where. 

Excellency  10.  It  \<s>  food  to  the  soul,  and  the  most 
delicious,  pleasant,  proper,  and  satisfying  food  that  ever  it 


COMMUNION  AVITH   CHRIST.  331 

tasted;  it  is  hidden  manna.  Rev.  2:17.  "0  Lord,  by 
these  things  men  live,  and  in  all  these  things  is  the  Hie  of 
my  spirit."  Isa.  38:16.  Regenerate  souls  cannot  live 
without  spiritual  food  :  their  bodies  can  live  as  well  without 
bread,  as  their  souls  without  communion  with  God ;  it  is 
more  than  their  necessary  food.  Here  they  find  what  they 
truly  call  marrow  and  fatness.  Psa.  63  :  5.  0  the  satisfac- 
tion and  support  they  draw  from  spiritual  things  by  medi- 
tutions  upon  them.  "To  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and 
peace."  Rom.  8:6.  The  delicacies  upon  princes'  tables 
are  husks  and  chaff  to  this.  Ungodly  men  may  live  on  the 
vanities  of  the  world,  but  a  renewed  soul  cannot  subsist  long 
without  God.  Let  such  a  soul  be  diverted  for  a  time  from 
its  usual  refreshments,  and  he  will  find  his  heart  aching  and 
pining  within  him.  It  is  angels'  food,  that  which  your  souls 
must  live  upon  throughout  eternity. 

Excellency  11.  It  is  the  guard  of  the  soid  against  tJie 
assaults  of  tenvptation.  It  is  like  a  shield  advanced  against 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  one.  Your  safety  lies  in  draw- 
ing nigh  to  God.  "  They  that  are  far  from  thee  shall 
perish.  But  it  is  good  for  me  to  draw  near  to  God."  Psalm 
73  :  27,  28.  It  is  good  indeed  ;  not  only  the  good  of  com- 
fort, but  the  good  of  safety  is  in  it :  "  The  beloved  of  the 
Lord  shall  dwell  in  safety  by  him."  Deut.  33  :  12.  The 
gracious  presence  of  God  is  your  shield  and  safety  ;  and  if 
you  would  have  the  Lord  thus  present  with  you  in  all  your 
fears,  straits,  and  dangers,  see  that  you  keep  near  to  him  in 
the  duties  of  communion.  "  The  Lord-is  with  you  while  ye 
be  with  him."     2  Chron.  15  :  2. 

Excellency  12.  It  is  the  honor  of  the  soid,  and  the 
greatest  honor  God  ever  conferred  on  any  creature.  It  is 
the  glory  of  the  holy  angels  in  heaven,  to  be  always  behold- 
ing the  face  of  God.  Matt.  18  :  10.  0  that  God  should 
admit  poor  dust  and  ashes  unto  such  a  nearness  to  himself: 
to  walk  with  a  king,  and  to  have  frequent  converse  with 


332  CHRIST  KNOCKma  AT   THE  DOOR. 

him,  puts  great  honor  upon  a  subject ;  but  the  saints  walk 
with  God  ;  so  did  Enoch,  so  do  all  the  saints.  "  Truly  our 
fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ."  1  John,  1:3.  They  have  liberty  and  access  with 
confidence  ;  the  Lord,  as  it  were,  delivers  to  them  the  golden 
key  of  prayer,  by  which  they  may  come  into  his  presence  on 
all  occasions  with  the  freedom  of  children  to  a  father. 

Excellency  13.  It  is  the  instrument  of  mortification, 
and  the  most  excellent  and  successful  instrument  for  that 
purpose.  "  This  I  say  then,  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall 
not  fulfil  the  works  of  the  flesh."  Gal.  5  :  16.  Walking  in 
the  Spirit  is  the  same  thing  as  walking  in  communion  with 
God.  Now,  says  the  apostle,  if  you  walk  thus  in  the  Spirit, 
in  the  actings  of  faith,  love,  and  obedience,  through  the 
course  of  holy  duties,  the  effect  will  be,  that  ye  shall  not 
fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  He  does  not  say.  You  shall  not 
feel  temptations  to  sin  assaulting  you ;  but,  You  shall  not 
fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
you ;  this  will  free  you  from  the  power  of  sin.  A  tempta- 
tion overcome  this  way  is  more  effectually  subdued,  than  by 
all  the  vows,  resolutions,  and  external  means  in  the  world. 
A  candle  that  is  blown  out  with  a  puff  of  breath  may  be 
rekindled  by  another  puff;  but  if  it  is  quenched  in  water, 
it  is  not  easily  lighted  again  :  so  you  never  find  such  power 
or  success  of  temptation  over  you  when  your  hearts  are  up 
with  God  in  the  exercise  of  faith  and  love,  as  you  do  when 
your  hearts  hang  loose  from  him,  and  dead  towards  him. 
The  schoolmen  assign  this  as  one  reason  why  no  sin  can 
fasten  upon  the  saints  in  heaven,  because  they  there  enjoy 
the  beatific  vision  of  God.  This  is  sure,  that  the  more  com- 
munion any  man  has  with  God  on  earth,  the  more  free  he  is 
from  the  power  of  his  corruptions. 

Excellency  14.  It  is  the  kernel  of  all  duties  and 
ordinances.  Words  and  gestures  are  but  the  husks  and 
shells  of  duties.     Communion  with  God  is  the  sweet  kernel, 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  333 

the  pleasant  and  nourishing  food  which  lies  within  them  : 
you  see  the  fruits  of  the  earth  are  covered  and  defended  by 
husks,  shells,  and  such-like  integuments,  witliin  which  lie  the 
pleasant  kernels  and  grains ;  and  these  are  the  food.  The 
hypocrite  who  goes  no  further  than  the  externals  of  rehgion, 
is  said  to  feed  on  ashes,  Isa,  44  :  20,  to  spend  his  money  for 
that  which  is  not  bread,  and  his  labor  for  that  which  satis- 
fieth  not.  Isa.  55  :  2.  He  feeds  upon  husks,  in  which  there 
is  but  little  pleasure  or  nourishment.  What  a  poor  house 
doth  a  hypocrite  keep  !  Words,  gestures,  ceremonies  of  re- 
ligion, will  never  fill  the  soul ;  but  communion  with  God  is 
substantial  nourishment.  As  David  said,  "  My  soul  shall 
be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness  ;  and  my  mouth 
shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips;  when  I  remember  thee 
upon  my  bed,  and  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night  watches." 
Psa.  63 :  5,  6.  It  grieves  one's  heart  to  think  what  airy 
tilings  many  souls  satisfy  themselves  with  ;  feeding  like 
Ephraim  upon  the  wind,  well  contented  if  they  can  but 
perform  a  few  heartless  duties  ;  while  the  saints  feeding  on 
hidden  manna,  are  feasted  as  it  were  with  angels'  food. 

Excellency  15.  It  is  the  light  of  the  soul  in  darkness, 
and  the  pleasantest  light  that  ever  shone  upon  the  soul  of 
man.  There  are  many  who  walk  in  darkness ;  some  in  the 
darkness  of  ignorance  and  unbelief,  the  most  dismal  of  all 
darkness,  except  that  in  hell.  There  are  others  who  are 
children  of  light  in  a  state  of  reconciliation,  yet  walk  in  the 
darkness  of  outward  afflictions,  and  mward  desertions  and 
temptations  ;  but  as  soon  as  the  light  of  God's  countenance 
shines  upon  the  soul  in  the  duties  of  communion  with  him, 
that  darkness  is  scattered ;  it  is  all  light  within  and  round 
about  the  soul.  "  They  looked  unto  him  and  were  light- 
ened." Psa.  34  :  5.  They  looked,  there  is  faith  acted  in 
duty ;  and  were  enlightened,  there  is  the  sweet  effect  of 
faith.  The  horrors  and  troubles  of  gracious  souls  retire  on 
the  rising  of  this  cheerful  Hght.     As  wild  beasts  come  out 


334  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOH. 

of  tlieir  dens  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  shrink  back 
again  when  the  sun  arise th,  Psa.  104  :  20-22  ;  so  do  the 
fears  and  inward  troubles  of  the  people  of  God,  when  this 
light  shines  upon  their  souls.  Nay  more,  this  is  a  light 
which  scatters  the  very  darkness  of  death  itself.  It  was  the 
saying  of  a  worthy  divine  of  Germany  upon  his  death-bed, 
when  his  eyesight  was  gone,  being  asked  how  it  was  with- 
in :  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  though  all  be  dark  about  me,"  yet, 
pointing  as  well  as  he  could  to  his  breast,  "  here  is  light 
enough." 

Excellency  16.  It  is  liberty  to  the  imprisoned  soul, 
and  the  most  comfortable  and  excellent  liberty  in  the  whole 
world.  He  only  walks  at  liberty  who  walks  with  God  :  "I 
will  walk  at  liberty  ;  for  I  seek  thy  precepts."  Psa.  119  :  45. 
"Wicked  men  cry  out  of  bands  and  cords  in  religion  ;  they 
look  upon  the  duties  of  godliness  as  the  greatest  bondage 
and  thraldom.  "  Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder,  and  cast 
away  their  cords  from  us."  Psa.  2:3.  Away  with  this 
strictness  and  preciseness,  it  extinguishes  the  joy  and  pleas- 
ure of  our  lives  ;  give  us  our  cups  instead  of  Bibles,  our 
jovial  songs  instead  of  spiritual  psalms,  our  sports  and  pas- 
times instead  of  prayers  and  sermons.  Alas,  poor  creatures, 
how  do  they  dance  in  their  chains,  when,  in  reality,  the 
sweetest  liberty  is  enjoyed  in  the  duties  at  which  they  thus 
scoff.  The  law  of  Christ  is  the  law  of  liberty ;  the  soul  of 
mian  never  enjoys  more  freedom  than  when  it  is  bound  with 
the  strictest  bonds  of  duty  to  God.  Here  is  liberty  from 
enthralling  lusts,  and  from  enslaving  fears  :  "  The  law  of 
the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from 
the  law  of  sin  and  death."  Rom.  8  :  2.  And  here  is  free- 
dom indeed  :  "  If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  ye 
shall  be  free  indeed."  Jolm  8  :  36.  And  here  is  freedom 
from  fears.  Luke  1  :  74,  75.  Those  that  will  not  endure 
any  restraint  from  their  lusts,  will  have  their  freedom  to 
sin  ;  a  freedom  they  shall  have,  such  as  it  is.     "  When  ye 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  335 

were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness." 
Kom.  G  :  20.  Let  none  therefore  be  prejudiced  against  the 
ways  of  duty  and  godhness.  The  law  of  Christ  is  the  per- 
fect law  of  liberty,  James  1  :  25 — not  liberty  to  sin  ;  but  lib- 
erty from  sin. 

Excellency  17.  It  is  a  mercy  purchased  by  the  blood 
of  Christ  for  believers,  and  one  of  the  principal  mercies  set- 
tled upon  them  by  the  new  covenant.  A  peculiar  mercy, 
which  none  but  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  partake  of — a 
mercy  the  purchase  of  which  cost  the  blood  of  Christ.  I  do 
not  deny  but  there  are  thousands  of  other  mercies  bestowed 
upon  the  unregenerate  :  they  have  health,  wealth,  children, 
honors,  pleasures,  and  all  the  delights  of  this  life  ;  but  com- 
munion with  God,  and  the  pleasures  which  result  therefrom, 
they  are  incapable  of  enjoying.  There  can  be  no  supping 
with  Christ  on  such  excellent  privileges  and  mercies  as 
these,  till  the  heart  is  opened  to  him  by  faith  ;  you  cannot 
come  nigh  to  God,  until  you  are  first  made  nigh  by  reconcil- 
iation. Eph.  2  :  13  ;  Heb.  10  :  19-22.  What  would  your 
lives,  Christians,  be  worth  to  you,  if  this  mercy  were  cut  off 
from  you  ?  There  would  be  little  sweetness  or  savor  in  all 
your  outward  mercies,  were  it  not  for  this  that  sweetens 
them  all.  And  there  is  this  difference,  among  many  others, 
between  this  and  all  outward  mercies  :  you  may  be  cut  ofi" 
from  the  enjoyment  of  those,  but  you  cannot  from  this  ;  no 
prison  can  keep  out  the  Comforter.  0  bless  God  for  this 
invaluable  mercy. 

Excellency  18.  It  is  7iatural  to  the  new  creature  ;  the 
inclination  of  the  newly  regenerated  soul  leads  to  commun- 
ion with  God.  It  is  as  natural  to  him  to  desire  it  and  work 
after  it,  as  it  is  to  the  new-born  babe  to  seek  the  breast : 
"  As  new-born  babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word, 
that  ye  may  grow  thereby."  1  Pet.  2  :  2.  There  is  a  law 
upon  the  regenerate  soul,  which  inwardly  and  powerfully 
constrains  it  to  acts  of  duty,  and  fellowship  with  God  in 


336  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

them.  Communion  with  God  arises  out  of  the  principles  of 
grace.  You  know  all  creatures  act  according  to  the  laws 
of  nature  :  the  sun  will  rise  and  the  sea  will  flow  at  their 
appointed  times ;  and  the  gracious  soul  will  make  towards 
its  God  in  the  times  and  seasons  of  communion  with  him. 
It  is  not  forced  to  these  duties  by  the  frights  of  conscience 
and  the  fears  of  hell,  so  much  as  by  the  natural  inclina- 
tion of  the  new  creature.  Two  things  demonstrate  com- 
munion with  God  to  be  conatural  to  the  regenerate  soul, 
the  inner-man,  the  hidden-man  of  the  heart :  namely,  first, 
the  restless7iess  of  a  gracious  soul  without  it.  The  church 
had  sought  her  Beloved,  but  found  him  not.  Does  she  sit 
down  satisfied  in  his  absence  ?  No  ;  "I  will  rise  now,  and 
go  about  the  city  ;  in  the  streets  and  in  the  broad  ways  1  will 
seek  him  whom  my  soul  loveth."  Sol.  Song  3  :  2.  Second, 
the  satisfaction  and  pleasure  which  the  soul  feels  in  the 
enjoyment  of  communion  with  God,  plainly  show  it  to  be 
agreeable  to  the  new  nature  :  "My  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as 
with  marrow  and  fatness  ;  and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee 
with  joyful  lips  ;  when  I  remember  thee  upon  my  bed." 
Psa.  63  :  5,  6.  And  when  it  is  thus,  duties  become  easy  and 
pleasant  to  the  soul :  "  His  commandments  are  not  griev- 
ous." 1  John,  5:3.  Yea,  such  a  soul  will  be  constant  and 
assiduous  in  those  duties.  That  which  is  natural,  is  constant 
as  well  as  pleasant.  "What  is  the  reason  hypocrites  renounce 
the  duties  of  religion  in  times  of  difficulty,  but  because  they 
have  not  an  inward  principle  agreeable  to  them  ?  The  mo- 
tives to  duty  lie  v\dthout  them,  not  within  them. 

Excellency  19.  It  is  tlie  holy  commerce  of  all  sancti- 
fied persons,  and  the  richest  trade  ever  engaged  in  by  men. 
Thus  they  grow  rich  in  spiritual  treasures ;  the  revenues 
of  it  are  better  than  silver  and  gold.  Many  of  you  have 
traded  long  for  tliis  world,  and  it  comes  to  little ;  and  had 
you  gained  your  designs,  you  had  gained  but  trifles.  This 
is  the  rich  and  profitable  occupation  :   "  Our  conversation  is 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  33^ 

in  heaven."  Phil.  3  :  20.  Our  commerce  Hes  that  way,  so 
the  word  signifies.  There  are  few  Christians  who  have 
engaged  in  this  soul-enriching  trade  any  considerable  time, 
but  can  show  some  spiritual  treasures  which  they  have 
gotten  by  it:  "This  I  had,  because  I  kept  thy  precepts." 
Psa.  119  :  56.  As  merchants  can  show  the  gold  and  silver, 
the  lands  and  houses,  the  rich  goods  and  furniture,  which 
they  have  obtained  by  their  successful  adventures  abroad  ; 
and  tell  their  friends,  so  much  I  got  by  such  a  voyage,  and 
so  much  by  another  ;  so  Christians  have  invaluable  treas- 
ures, though  their  humility  conceals  them,  which  they  have 
gained  by  this  heavenly  commerce  of  communion  with  God. 
Their  souls  are  weak,  but  by  communion  with  God  they 
have  gotten  strength  :  "  I  cried,  and  thou  answeredst  me, 
and  strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in  my  soul."  Psa, 
138  :  3.  They  have  gained  peace  by  it,  a  treasure  inesti- 
mable :  "  Great  peace  have  they  which  love  thy  law  ;  and 
nothing  shall  ofiend  them."  Psa.  119:  165.  They  have 
obtained  purity  by  it :  "  They  also  do  no  iniquity  :  they 
walk  in  liis  ways."  Psa.  119:  3.  0  what  rich  returns 
are  here  ;  nay,  they  sometimes  get  full  assurance  by  it.  The 
riches  of  both  the  Indies  ^vill  not  purchase  from  a  Christian 
the  least  of  these  mercies.  These  are  the  rich  rewards  of 
our  pains  in  the  duties  of  religion  ;  in  keeping  his  com- 
mandments there  is  great  reward.     Psa.  19  :  11. 

Excellency  20.  It  is  oil  to  the  ivheels  of  ohedience, 
which  makes  the  soul  go  on  cheerfully  in  the  ways  of  the 
Lord  :  "  I  will  run  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when 
thoushalt  enlarge  my  heart."  Psa.  119  :  32,  Oiled  wheels 
run  freely.  How  prompt  and  ready  for  any  act  of  obedience 
is  a  soul  under  the  influence  of  coraimunion  with  God. 
Then  it  cries,  as  Isaiah,  having  gotten  a  sight  of  God, 
"  Here  am  I,  send  me."     Isa.  6  :  8. 

Hereby  the  soul  is  prepared  for  the  duties  of  active  obe- 
die?icc,  to  which  it  applies  itself  with  dehght :   "  Then  will 

Christ  KnocWn?.  15 


338  CHRIST  KNOCKINa   AT   THE    DOOR. 

I  go  unto  the  altar  of  God,  unto  God  my  exceeding  joy," 
Psa.  43  :  4  ;  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  "  the  gladness  of  my 
joy."  The  soul  goes  to  prayer  as  a  hungry  man  to  a  feast, 
or  a  covetous  man  to  his  treasures  :  "I  have  rejoiced  in  the 
way  of  thy  testimonies,  as  much  as  in  all  riches."  Psa. 
119:  14. 

It  prepares  the  soul  for  passive  obedience,  and  makes  a 
man  rejoice  in  his  sufferings.  Col.  1 :  24.  It  will  make  a 
Christian  stand  ready  to  receive  any  burden  that  God  may 
lay  on  his  shoulders,  and  even  be  thankful  to  be  so  employed  : 
"  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  strength."  Neh.  8  :  10.  A 
Christian  under  the  cheerful  influences  of  near  communion 
with  God,  can  with  more  cheerfulness  lay  down  his  neck 
for  Christ,  than  other  men  can  lay  out  a  shilling  for  him. 
In  all  these  twenty  particulars,  you  have  an  account  of  the 
excellency  of  this  privilege ;  but  0  how  short  an  account 
have  I  given  of  it.  What  remains,  is  the  application  of  this 
doctrine. 

Inference  1 .  Hmv  certain  it  is,  that  there  is  a  God, 
and  a  state  of  glory  lyrepared  for  sanctified  soids.  These 
things  are  undeniable.  God  has  set  them  before  our  spirit- 
ual eyes  and  senses.  Besides  the  revelation  of  heaven  in 
the  gospel,  which  without  any  thing  more  makes  it  infalli- 
ble, the  Lord,  for  our  abundant  satisfaction,  has  brought 
these  things  down  to  the  touch  and  test  of  our  spiritual 
senses  and  experience.  You  who  have  had  so  many  sights 
of  God  by  faith,  so  many  sweet  tastes  of  heaven  in  the 
duties  of  religion,  0  what  a  confirmation  and  seal  have  you 
of  the  reality  of  invisible  things.  You  may  say  of  heaven, 
and  the  joys  above,  as  the  apostle  did  of  Him  that  purchased 
it,  "  Which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with  our 
eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have 
handled,"  1  John,  1:1;  for  God  has  set  these  things  in 
some  degree  before  your  eyes,  and  put  the  first-fruits  of  them 
into  your  hands.     The  sweet  relish  of  the  joy  of  the  Lord  is 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  339 

on  the  very  palate  of  your  souls.  To  this  spiritual  sense  of 
the  believing  Hebrews  the  apostle  appealed  when  he  said, 
ye  "  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  knowing  in 
yourselves  that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  better,  and  an  enduring 
substance."  Heb.  10  :  34.  This  knowing  in  ourselves  is 
more  certain  and  sweet  than  all  the  traditional  reports  we 
can  get  from  others  :  "  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love  ;  in 
whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  1  Peter,  1:8. 
There  is  more  of  heaven  felt  and  tasted  in  this  world  than 
men  are  aware  of;  it  is  one  thing  to  hear  of  such  countries 
as  Spain,  Italy,  and  Turkey  by  the  reports  we  heard  of  them 
in  our  childhood,  and  another  thing  to  understand  them  by 
the  rich  commodities  imported  from  them,  in  the  way  of 
commerce.  0  did  we  but  know  what  other  Christians  have 
felt  and  tasted,  we  should  not  have  such  doubtful  thoughts 
about  invisible  things.  But  the  secret  comforts  of  religion 
are,  and  ought  to  be  for  the  most  part,  hidden  things.  Re- 
ligion lays  not  all  open  ;  the  Christian  life  is  a  hidden  life. 

2.  If  sicch  a  height  of  communion  ivith  God  be  attain- 
able on  earth,  then  7nost  Christian?,  live  below  the  duties 
and  comforts  of  Christianitij.  Alas,  the  best  of  us  are  but 
at  the  foot  of  this  pleasant  mount  Pisgah.  As  we  are  but 
in  the  infancy  of  our  graces,  so  we  are  but  in  the  infancy  of 
our  comforts.  What  a  poor  table  is  kept  by  many  of  God's 
own  children  ;  living  between  hopes  and  fears,  seldom  tasting 
the  riches  and  joys  of  assurance.  And  would  you  know  the 
reasons  of  it  ?  There  are  five  things  which  usually  keep 
them  poor  and  low  as  to  spiritual  joys.  First,  the  incum- 
brances of  the  world,  which  divert  them  from,  or  distract 
them  in  their  duties  of  communion  with  God,  and  so  keep 
them  low  in  their  spiritual  comforts.  They  have  so  much 
to  do  on  earth,  that  they  have  little  time  for  heavenly  em- 
ployments. 0  what  a  noise  and  din  do  the  trifles  of  this 
w^orld  make  in  the  heads  and  hearts  of  many  Christians. 


340  CHRIST  KNOCKIN&  AT   THE   DOOR. 

How  dear  do  we  pay  for  such  trifles  as  these.  Second,  a 
spirit  of  formahty  creeping  into  the  duties  of  rehgion  impov- 
erishes its  vital  spirit,  like  the  embraces  of  the  ivy,  which 
binds  and  starves  the  tree  it  clasps  about.  Religion  cannot 
thrive  under  formality,  which  it  is  difficult  to  keep  out  of  a 
settled  course  of  duty,  and  much  more  when  duties  are  inter- 
mitted. Third,  frequent  temptations  annoy  the  minds  of 
many  Christians,  especially  such  as  are  of  melancholy  tem- 
perament. How  importunate  and  restless  are  these  tempta- 
tions with  some  Christians.  They  can  gain  little  comfort 
or  advantage  in  duty,  by  reason  of  them.  Fourth,  heart- 
apostasy,  the  inward  decay  of  our  first  love,  is  another  reason 
why  our  duties  prosper  so  little.  "  Thou  hast  left  thy  first 
love."  Rev.  2  :  4.  You  were  not  wont  to  serve  God  with 
such  coldness.  Fifth,  in  a  word,  spiritual  pride  impoverishes 
our  comforts  ;  the  joys  of  the  Spirit,  like  brisk  wines,  are  too 
strong  for  our  weak  heads.  For  these  causes,  many  Chris- 
tians are  kept  low  in  spiritual  comforts. 

3.  How  siveet  and  desirable  is  the  society  of  the  sahits. 
It  must  needs  be  desirable  to  walk  with  them  who  w^alk 
with  God.  1  John,  1:3,  There  are  no  such  companions 
as  the  saints.  What  benefit  or  pleasure  can  we  find  in  con- 
verse with  sensual  worldhngs  ?  All  we  can  carry  away  out 
of  such  company  is  guilt  or  grief,  David  speaks  of  his  de- 
light as  being  with  the  saints,  the  excellent  of  the  earth. 
Psalm  16  :  3.  And  their  society  would  certainly  be  much 
more  sweet  and  desirable  than  it  is,  did  they  live  more  in 
communion  with  God  than  they  do.  There  was  a  time 
when  the  communion  of  the  saints  was  exceedingly  lovely, 
Mai.  3:16;  Acts  2  :  46,  47  ;  the  Lord  restore  it  to  its  prim- 
itive glory  and  sweetness. 

4.  What  an  unsjjeakable  mercy  is  conversion,  ivhich 
lets  the  sold  into  such  a  state  of  spiritual  pleasure.  Here 
is  the  beginning  of  your  acquaintance  with  God — the  first 
spiritual  pleasures,  of  which  there  shall  never  be  an  end. 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  341 

All  the  time  men  have  spent  in  an  unconverted  state,  has 
been  a  time  of  estrangement  and  alienation  from  G  od  ;  when 
the  Lord  brings  a  man  to  Christ,  in  the  way  of  conversion, 
he  begins  his  first  acquaintance  with  God.  *'  Acquaint 
now  thyself  with  him,  and  be  at  peace  ;  thereby  good  shall 
come  mito  thee."  Job  22:21.  This  your  first  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Lord,  will  grow  ;  every  visit  you  give  him  in 
prayer  increases  intimacy,  and  humble,  holy  familiarity  be- 
tween him  and  you.  And  0  Avhat  a  paradise  of  pleasure 
does  this  let  the  soul  into  ;  the  life  of  religion  abounds  with 
pleasures.  Psalm  16  :  11.  "Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleas- 
antness, and  all  her  paths  are  peace."  Prov.  3  :  17.  Now 
you  know  where  to  go  for  relief  from  any  trouble  that  presses 
your  hearts  ;  whatever  prejudices  and  scandal  Satan  and  his 
instruments  cast  on  religion,  this  I  will  affirm  of  it,  that  that 
man  must  necessarily  be  a  stranger  to  true  pleasure,  and 
empty  of  real  comfort,  who  is  a  stranger  to  Christ  and  com- 
munion with  him.  True,  here  is  no  allowance  for  sinful 
pleasures  ;  nor  is  there  any  lack  of  spiritual  pleasures.  Bless 
God,  therefore,  for  converting  grace,  you  that  have  it ;  and 
lift  up  a  cry  to  heaven  for  it,  you  that  want  it. 

5.  If  there  be  so  much  delight  in  our  imperfect,  and  often 
interrupted  communion  with  God  here,  then  tvJiat  is  heaven; 
%chat  are  the  immediate  visions  of  his  face  in  the  perfect 
state  ?  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  1  Cor.  2:9.  You  have 
heard  glorious  and  ravishing  reports  in  the  gospel  of  that 
blessed  future  state,  things  which  the  angels  desire  to  look 
into.  You  have  felt  and  tasted  joys  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory,  in  the  actings  of  your  faith  and  love  upon  Christ ;  yet 
all  you  have  heard,  and  all  you  have  felt  and  tasted  in  the 
way  to  glory,  falls  so  short  of  the  perfection  and  blessedness 
of  that  state,  that  heaven  will  and  must  be  a  great  surprise 
to  them  who  have  now  the  best   acquaintance  with   it. 


342  CHTuIST  KNOCKIN&  AT  THE    DOOR. 

Tliough  the  present  comforts  of  the  saints  are  sometimes  as 
much  as  they  can  bear,  for  they  say,  "  Stay  me  with  flagons, 
comfort  me  with  apples  ;  for  I  am  sick  of  love,"  Sol.  Song 
2:5;  yet  these  high  tides  of  joy  are  but  shallows,  compared 
with  the  joys  of  his  immediate  presence.  1  Cor.  13  :  12. 
And  as  they  run  not  so  deep,  so  they  are  not  constant  and 
continued,  as  they  shall  be  above  :  "So  shall  we  ever  be 
with  the  Lord."     1  Thess.  4:17. 

6.  Is  this  the  privileged  state  into  which  all  helievei'S 
are  admitted  by  conversion  ?  then  strive  for  the  highest 
attain^nent  of  communion  with  God  in  this  world  :  be 
not  contented  with  just  so  much  grace  as  will  secure  you 
from  hell,  but  labor  after  such  a  height  of  grace  and  com- 
munion with  God  as  may  bring  you  into  the  suburbs  of 
heaven  on  earth.  Forget  the  things  that  are  behind  you,  as 
to  satisfaction  in  them,  and  press  towards  the  mark  for  the 
prize  of  your  high  calling.  It  is  greatly  to  j-our  loss  that 
you  live  at  such  a  distance  from  God,  and  are  so  seldom  with 
him.  Think  not  that  the  ablest  ministers  or  the  choicest 
books  will  ever  be  able  to  satisfy  your  doubts  or  comfort 
your  hearts,  while  you  let  down  your  communion  with  God 
to  so  low  a  degree.  0  that  you  may  be  persuaded  now 
to  hearken  obediently  to  three  or  four  necessary  words  of 
counsel. 

(1.)  Make  communion  ivith  God  the  very  level  and  avm 
of  your  sold  in  all  your  approaches  to  him  in  the  ordinances 
and  duties  of  religion.  Set  it  upon  the  point  of  your  com- 
pass, let  it  be  the  very  thing  your  soul  designs  ;  let  the 
desire  and  hope  of  communion  wdth  God  be  the  thing  that 
draws  you  to  every  sermon  and  prayer  :  "  One  thing  have  I 
desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold 
the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple." 
Psa.  27:4.  That  was  the  mark  David  aimed  at;  and 
men's  success  in  duties  is  usually  according  to  the  spiritual 


COMMUNION   \VITH  CHRIST.  343 

aims  and  intentions  of  their  hearts  in  them  :  both  sincerity 
and  comfort  lie  much  in  men's  aims. 

(2.)  In  all  your  approaches  to  God,  plead  hard  with  him 
far  the  manifestation  of  his  love,  and  further  communica- 
tions of  his  grace :  "  Hear,  0  Lord,  when  I  cry  with  my  voice  : 
have  mercy  also  upon  me,  and  answer  me.  When  thou 
saidst.  Seek  ye  my  face  ;  my  heart  said  unto  thee,  Thy  face, 
Lord,  will  I  seek.  Hide  not  thy  face  far  from  me  ;  put  not 
thy  servant  aw^ay  in  anger."  Psalm  27  :  7—9.  Hov/  full 
of  pleas  and  arguments  for  communion  with  God  w^as  this 
prayer  of  David.  Lord,  I  am  come,  in  obedience  to  thy 
command  ;  thou  saidst,  "  Seek  ye  my  face,"  thou  badest  me 
come  to  thee,  and  wilt  thou  put  away  thy  servant  in  anger  ? 
Thou  hast  been  my  help,  I  have  had  sweet  experience  of 
thy  goodness,  thou  dost  not  use  to  put  me  ofi^  and  turn  me 
away  empty. 

(3.)  Desire  not  comfort  for  its  own  sake,  but  comforts 
and  refreshments  for  service  and  obedience'  sake ;  that  there- 
by you  may  be  strengthened  to  go  on  in  the  ways  of  your 
duty  M'ith  more  cheerfulness.  "  I  will  run  the  way  of  thy 
commandments,  when  thou  shalt  enlarge  my  heart."  Psa. 
119  :  32.  As  if  he  should  say,  0  Lord,  the  comforts  thou 
shalt  give  me,  shall  be  returned  again  in  cheerful  services  to 
thee.  I  desire  them,  as  oil  to  the  wheels  of  obedience,  not  as 
food  for  my  pride. 

(4.)  As  ever  you  expect  much  comfort  in  the  way  of 
communion  with  God,  see  that  you  are  strict  and  circum- 
spect in  your  conversation.  It  is  the  looseness  and  careless- 
ness of  our  hearts  and  lives  which  impoverishes  our  spiritual 
comforts.  A  little  pride,  a  little  carelessness  frustrates  a 
great  deal  of  comfort  which  was  very  near  us,  almost  in 
our  hands.  "  "When  I  would  have  healed  Israel,  then  the 
iniquity  of  Ephraim  was  discovered."  Hosea  7:1.  So, 
just  when  the  desire  of  thy  heart  w^as  at  the  door,  some  sin 
stept  in  the  w^ay  of  it.     "  Your  iniquities  have   separated 


344  CHRIST   IvNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

between  you  and  your  God,  and  your  sins  have  hid  his  face 
from  you."  Isa.  59  :  2.  The  Comforter,  the  Holy  Spirit,  is 
tender,  and  hath  quick  sensibility  to  your  unkindnesses  and 
offences.  As  ever,  therefore,  you  expect  comfort  from  him, 
be  careful  in  your  conduct  towards  him,  and  grieve  him  not. 

7.  This  point  speaks  needful  counsel  to  tmbelievers — to 
all  that  live  estranged  from  the  hfe  of  God,  and  have  done 
so  from  the  womb.  Psalm  58  :  3.  To  you  the  voice  of  the 
Kedeemer  sounds  a  summons  once  more :  "  Behold,  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock."  0  that  at  last  you  may  be  pre- 
vailed with  to  comply  with  the  merciful  terms  propounded 
by  him.  Will  you  shut  out  a  Saviour  bringing  salvation, 
pardon,  and  peace  with  him  ?  Christ  is  thy  rightful  owner, 
and  demands  possession  of  thy  soul ;  if  thou  wilt  now  hear 
his  voice,  thy  former  refusals  shall  never  be  objected.*  If 
thou  still  reject  his  gracious  offers,  mercy  may  never  more 
be  tendered  to  thee  ;  there  is  a  call  of  Christ  which  will  be 
the  last  call,  and  after  that  no  more.  Take  heed  what  you 
do ;  if  you  still  demur  and  delay,  your  damnation  is  just, 
inevitable,  and  inexcusable.  Hear  me,  therefore,  ye  unre- 
generate  souls,  in  what  rank  or  condition  soever  Providence 
has  placed  you  in  this  world,  whether  you  be  rich  or  poor, 
young  or  old,  masters  or  servants,  whether  there  be  any 
stirrings  of  conviction  in  your  consciences  or  not ;  for  how- 
ever your  conditions  in  this  world  differ  from  each  other 
at  present,  there  is  one  common  misery  hanging  over  you 
all,  if  you  continue  in  that  state  of  unbelief  in  wliich  you 
now  are. 

(1.)  Hearken  to  the  voice  and  call  of  Christ,  you  that  are 
exalted  by  Providence  above  your  poorer  7ieighbors — who 
have  your  heads,  hands,  and  hearts  full  of  the  world :  men 
of  trade  and  business,  I  have  a  few  solemn  questions  to  ask 
you  this  day. 

You  have  made  many  gainful  bargains  in  your  time, 
but  what  will  all  profit  you  if  the  agreement  be  not  mad«3 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHEIST.^  345 

between  Christ  and  your  souls  ?  Christ  is  the  only  treasure 
which  can  enrich  you.  Matt.  13  :44.  Thou  art  poor  and 
miserable,  whatever  thou  hast  gained  of  this  world,  if  thou 
hast  not  gained  Christ ;  thou  hast  heaped  up  guilt  with  thy 
riches,  which  will  more  torment  thy  conscience  hereafter, 
than  thy  estate  can  yield  thee  comfort  here. 

You  have  made  many  insurances  to  secure  your  estates, 
which  you  call  policies;  but  what  insurance  have  you  made 
for  your  souls  ?  Are  not  they  exposed  to  eternal  hazards  ? 
0  impolitic  man,  to  be  so  provident  to  secure  trifles,  and  so 
negligent  in  securing  the  richest  treasure. 

You  have  adjusted  many  accounts  with  men,  but  who 
shall  make  up  your  accounts  with  God  if  you  are  Christ- 
less  ?  "  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul?"  Matt.  16:26.  Say  not, 
you  have  much  business  on  your  hands,  and  cannot  afford 
time ;  you  will  have  space  enough  hereafter  to  reflect  upon 
your  folly. 

(2.)  You  ivlio  are  poor  in  the  world,  what  say  you ;  will 
you  have  two  hells,  one  here  and  another  hereafter  ?  No 
comfort  in  this  world,  nor  hope  for  the  next  ?  Your  expec- 
tations here  laid  in  the  dust,  and  your  hopes  for  heaven  built 
upon  the  sand  ?  0  if  you  were  once  in  Christ,  how  happy 
were  you,  though  you  knew  not  where  to  obtain  your  next 
bread.  Poor  in  the  world,  but  rich  in  faith ;  and  heirs  of 
the  kingdom  which  God  has  promised.  James  2:5.  0 
blessed  state.  If  you  had  Christ,  you  would  have  a  right  to 
all  thmgs,  1  Cor.  3  :  22,  23  ;  you  would  then  have  a  Father 
to  take  care  for  you.  But  to  be  poor  and  Christless,  no  com- 
fort from  this  world  nor  hopes  from  the  next,  this  is  to  be 
miserable  indeed.  Your  very  straits  and  wants  should 
prompt  you  to  the  great  duty  I  am  now  pressing  on  you  ; 
and  methinks  it  should  be  matter  of  encouragement  that  the 
greatest  number  of  Christ's  friends  and  followers  come  out 
of  that  rank  of  men  to  which  you  belong. 
15^ 


346  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

(3.)  You  who  are  seamen,  floating  often  on  the  great 
deep,  you  are  reckoned  a  thh'd  sort  of  persons  between  the 
living  and  the  dead ;  you  belong  not  to  the  dead,  because 
you  breathe,  and  scarcely  to  the  living,  because  you  are  con- 
tinually so  near  to  death.  What  think  you,  friends,  have 
you  no  need  of  a  Saviour  ?  Do  you  live  so  secure  from  the 
reach  and  danger  of  death  ?  Have  your  lives  been  so  pure, 
righteous,  and  innocent,  who  have  been  in  the  midst  of 
temptations  in  the  world  abroad  ?  Ponder  that  scripture, 
1  Cor.  G  :  9,  10  :  "Be  not  deceived  ;  neither  fornicators,  nor 
idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  them- 
selves with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunk- 
ards, nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  Grod;"  ponder  it,  I  say,  and  think  whether  you  have  not 
as  great  and  pressing  a  necessity  of  Jesus  Christ  as  any  poor 
souls  under  heaven.  You  have  had  from  God  many  temporal 
salvations,  great  and  eminent  deliverances  ;  and  will  these 
satisfy  you  ?  Is  it  enough  that  your  bodies  are  delivered 
from  the  danger  of  the  sea,  though  your  souls  sink  and  perish 
in  the  ocean  of  God's  wrath  for  ever  ?  If  you  will  yet  accept 
Christ  upon  his  terms,  all  that  you  have  done  shall  be  for- 
given. Isa.  55  :  1,  2.  The  Lord  now  calls  to  you  in  a  still 
voice  :  if  you  hear  his  voice,  well ;  if  not,  you  may  shortly 
hear  his  voice  in  the  tempestuous  storms  without  you,  and  a 
roaring  conscience  within  you.  Poor  man,  think  what  an 
interest  in  Christ  will  be  worth,  wert  thou  now,  as  shortly 
thou  mayest  be,  floating  on  a  piece  of  wreck,  or  shivering  on 
a  cold  and  desolate  rock,  crying,  Mercy,  Lord,  mercy.  Mercy 
is  now  offered  thee,  but  in  vain  wilt  thou  expect  to  find  it, 
if  thou  continue  thus  to  despise  and  reject  it. 

(4.)  You  who  are  aged  and  full  of  days,  hearken  to  the 
voice  of  Christ ;  God  has  called  on  you  a  long  time.  When 
you  were  young  you  said,  it  is  time  enough  yet,  we  will  mind 
these  things  when  we  are  old,  and  come  nearer  to  the  bor- 
ders of  eternity.     Well,  now  you  are  old,  and  just  on  the 


COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST.  347 

"borders  of  it ;  will  you  indeed  mind  it  now  ?  You  have 
left  the  great  concerns  of  your  souls  to  this  time,  this  short, 
very  short  time  ;  and  do  the  temptations  of  your  youth  take 
hold  upon  your  age  ?  What,  delay  and  put  off  Christ  still, 
as  you  were  wont  to  do  ?  Poor  creatures,  you  are  almost 
gone  out  of  time,  you  have  but  a  short  space  to  deliberate  ; 
what  you  do  must  be  done  quickly,  or  it  can  never  be 
done.  Your  night  is  even  come  upon  you,  M^ien  no  man 
can  work. 

(o.)  You  who  are  young,  in  the  bud  or  flower  of  your 
time,  Christ  is  a  suitor  for  your  first  love  ;  lie  desires  the 
kindness  of  your  youth  ;  your  spirits  are  vigorous,  your  hearts 
tender,  your  affections  flowing  and  impressible  ;  you  are  not 
yet  entered  into  the  incumbrances  and  distracting  cares  of 
the  world.  Hereafter  a  crowd  and  thick  succession  of 
earthly  employments  and  engagements  will  come  on  ;  sin 
will  harden  you  by  custom  and  continuance.  Now  is  your 
time ;  you  are  in  the  convertible  age  ;  few  that  pass  the 
season  of  youth  are  brought  to  Christ  afterwards.  It  is  the 
wonder  of  an  age  to  hear  of  the  conversion  of  aged  sinners. 
Besides,  you  are  the  hope  of  the  next  generation.  Should 
you  neglect  and  despise  Christ,  how  bad  soever  the  present 
age  is,  the  next  will  be  w^orse.  Say  not,  we  have  time 
enough  before  us,  we  will  not  quench  the  sprightly  vigor  of 
our  youth  in  melancholy  thoughts,  Remember,  there  are 
skulls  of  all  sizes  and  graves  of  all  lengths  in  the  church- 
yard. You  may  die  before  those  that  seem  to  stand  nearer 
the  grave  than  you.  0  you  cannot  be  happy  too  soon.  As 
young  as  you  are,  did  you  but  taste  the  comforts  that  are  in 
Christ,  nothing  would  grieve  you  more  than  that  you  knew 
him  no  sooner.  Behold,  he  standeth  at  thy  door  in  the 
morning  of  thy  age,  knocking  this  day  for  admission  into  thy 
heart. 

(6.)  To  you  ivho  have  had  some  slight,  ineffectual,  and 
vanishing  convictions  formerly,  the  Lord  Jesus  once  more 


348  CHRIST   KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOR. 

renews  his  call.  Will  you  now  at  last  hear  his  voice  ?  It 
is  an  infinite  mercy  to  have  a  second  call.  I  doubt  not  but 
many  among  you,  while  you  have  sat  under  the  word,  have 
had  such  thoughts  as  these  in  your  hearts  :  "  Sure  my  condi- 
tion is  not  right,  nor  safe  ;  there  must  another  manner  of 
work  pass  upon  my  soul,  or  I  am  lost  for  ever.  External 
duties  of  religion  I  do  perform,  but  I  am  a  stranger  to  regen- 
eration." Such  inward  convictions  as  these  were  the  knocks 
and  calls  of  Christ,  but  they  passed  away  and  were  forgot- 
ten :  your  convictions  are  dead,  and  your  hearts  the  more 
hardened  ;  for  it  is  w^ith  a  soul  under  conviction  as  in  putting 
iron  into  the  fire,  and  quenching  it  again  ;  this  hardens  it  the 
more.  You  have  been  near  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  will 
be  the  more  miserable  for  that,  if  you  are  shut  out  at  last. 
The  quickening  of  your  convictions  is  the  right  way  to  the 
saving  of  your  souls.  The  Lord  make  you  this  day  to  hear 
his  voice. 

(7.)  Such  as  go  to  hear  the  gospel  on  vain  accounts,  for 
mere  novelty  or  worse  ends — to  catch  advantages,  or  to 
reproach  the  truths  of  God — scoffing  at  the  most  solemn 
voice  of  Christ :  the  word  that  you  have  slighted  and  re- 
proached, the  same  shall  judge  you  in  that  great  day,  except 
the  Lord  give  you  repentance  unto  life,  and  make  the  heart 
tremble  mider  it  that  hath  scotTed  at  it.  "Be  ye  not  mock- 
ers, lest  your  bands  be  made  strong."     Isa.  28  :  22. 

(8.)  Let  all  ivhose  hearts  the  Lord  has  opened  this  day, 
for  the  enjoyment  of  the  gospel,  the  blessed  instrument  of 
their  salvation,  bless  the  Lord  that  has  made  it  a  key  by 
regeneration  to  open  the  door  of  salvation  to  your  souls  : 
"  And  as  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
so  walk  ye  in  him."     Col.  2  :  6. 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINa   CONVICTION.  349 

CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  TRUTH  HELD  IN  UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"  THE  WRATH  OF  GOD  IS  REVEALED  FROM  HEAVEN  AGAINST 
ALL  UNGODLINESS,  AND  L^RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  MEN,  WHO 
HOLD    THE    TRUTH   IN   UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."    Rom.  1:18. 

In  all  the  foregoing  discourses,  I  have  been  pleading  and 
wooing  for  Christ.  And  as  Abraham's  servant,  to  win 
Rebekah's  consent,  told  her  what  treasures  his  master's  son 
had,  so  I  have  labored  to  show  you  some  part  of  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ,  if  by  any  means  I  might  allure 
your  hearts,  and  be  instrumental  to  close  the  happy  union 
between  him  and  you ;  and,  as  the  apostle  speaks,  espouse 
you  to  one  husband,  even  to  Christ.     2  Cor.  11:2. 

But  alas,  how  few  move  towards  him.  The  most  seem 
to  be  immovably  fixed  in  their  natural  state  and  sinful 
course.  All  our  arguments  and  entreaties  return  to  us 
again,  and  effect  nothing.  It  is  amazing  to  think  that  souls 
which  have  in  them  the  hopes  and  fears  of  the  world  to 
come,  and  self-reflecting  powers,  cannot  be  prevailed  upon  to 
quit  the  way  of  sin  and  to  embrace  the  way  of  hohness, 
though  their  consciences  meauM^iile  stand  convinced  that 
eternal  damnation  is  the  result  of  the  one,  and  life,  peace, 
and  eternal  joys  of  the  other. 

This  has  put  me  upon  a  serious  search  what  may  be  the 
cause  of  this  fixed  and  unreasonable  obstinacy  ;  and  it  seems 
evident  that  most  who  live  in  an  unregenerate  state  under 
the  gospel,  put  a  force  upon  their  own  consciences,  and  im- 
prison and  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness,  though  the 
Vv^rath  of  God  be  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  that  do  so 

If  by  this  discourse  I  can  but  set  truth  at  liberty,  and 
loose  the  Lord's  prisoners  which  lie  bound  in  your  souls,  I 
shall  not  doubt  that  the  estimate  of  the  value  of  Christ  will 
quickly  rise  among  you,  and  free  convictions  will  malie  the 


350  CHK.IST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

work  of  your  ministers  more  easy  and  successful  than  tliey 
now  find  it.  It  is  hardly  imaginable  but  that  the  things 
you  have  heard  must  leave  your  souls  under  convictions ;  but 
if  you  suppress  and  stifle  them,  they  produce  nothing  but  ag- 
gravations of  sin  and  misery.  Now,  in  order  to  the  eflectual 
working  of  your  convictions,  and  awakening  the  reverence 
which  is  due  to  them  from  every  soul,  as  to  the  voice  of  God, 
I  have  chosen  this  scripture,  the  scope  and  sense  whereof  I 
shall  endeavor  to  give  you. 

The  true  scope  and  aim  of  this  context  is  to  prove  the 
justification  of  sinners  to  be  only  by  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  in  the  way  of  faith.  To  make  this  evident, 
he  divides  the  whole  world  into  Gentiles  and  Jews :  the  one 
seeking  righteousness  by  the  dim  light  of  nature,  or  the  law 
written  in  their  hearts  ;  the  other,  the  Jews,  by  the  works  of 
the  law,  or  external  conformity  to  the  law  of  Moses.  But 
that  neither  can  find  what  they  seek,  he  distinctly  and  fully 
proves.  He  proves  it  first  upon  the  Gentiles  from  this  verse 
to  the  seventeenth  of  the  second  chapter  ;  and  then  he  proves 
it  upon  the  Jews  also,  from  thence  to  the  end  of  the  third 
chapter.  As  for  the  Gentiles,  he'  acknowledges  that  they 
had  some  notions  of  God  imprinted  in  their  nature  ;  they 
had  also  the  book  of  creation,  giving  them  knowledge  enough 
to  leave  them  without  excuse.  But  this  knowledge  of  G  od, 
and  of  good  and  evil,  they  did  not  obey  and  put  in  practice, 
but  acted  against  the  dictates  of  their  consciences.  For 
which  cause  the  wrath  of  God  was  revealed  from  heaven 
against  them,  as  the  text  speaks.     Wherein  we  notice, 

1.  Here  is  a  clear  and  dreadful  revelation  of  divine 
wrath,  "  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven ;"  bpyri 
Qeov,  the  indignation  or  vengeance  of  God.  It  is  a  word  of 
deep  and  dreadful  signification ;  the  damned  who  feel  its 
weight,  have  the  fullest  sense  of  it.  It  is  said,  Psa.  90  :  11, 
"Who  knoweth  the  power  of  thine  anger?  even  according 
to  thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath."     That   is,  the  fears  of  an 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLING-  CONVICTION.  351 

incensed  Deity  are  no  vain  imaginings,  nor  the  effects  of 
ignorance  and  superstition,  as  atheists  fancy  ;  but  let  men's 
fears  of  it  be  what  they  will,  they  shall  find,  except  they 
repent,  the  wrath  of  God  to  be  according  to,  yea,  far  above 
their  fears  of  it.  If  the  wrath  of  a  king  be  as  the  messen- 
ger of  death,  what  is  the  wrath  of  the  great  and  terrible 
God  ?  This  wrath  is  here  said  to  be  revealed,  discovered,  or 
made  manifest ;  and  so  it  is  in  various  ways.  It  was  revealed 
to  them  by  the  light  of  nature,  their  own  consciences  gave 
them  notice  and  warning  of  it.  Thus  it  was  revealed  to 
them  by  an  internal  testimony,  a  witness  within  them  ;  and 
it  was  also  revealed  to  them  by  the  instances  of  punish- 
ment of  sin  in  all  ages  by  the  immediate  hand  of  a  justly 
incensed  God.  They  came  not  by  chance,  but  divine  direc- 
tion ;  therefore  it  is  added,  "  from  heaven,"  or  from  God 
in  heaven. 

2.  Here  is  the  cause  of  this  revealed  and  iyiflicted 
wrath:  it  "is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men."  The  former  word,  ungodli7iess, 
comprises  all  sins  against  the  first  table  of  the  law ;  the  irre- 
ligious lives  and  practices  of  men,  living  in  the  neglect  of  the 
duties  of  religion  :  the  other  word,  unrighteousness,  com- 
prises all  sins  against  the  second  table,  such  as  acts  of  fraud, 
uncleanness,  lying,  and  other  sins,  against  men.  And  because 
these  two  comprehensive  words  are  branched  out  into  many 
particulars,  therefore  the  apostle  says,  "The  wrath  of  God  is 
revealed  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness."  There 
is  not  one  of  the  many  sins  into  which  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness are  branched  out,  but  incenses  the  Lord's  wrath ; 
and  though  he  only  mentions  the  sins,  we  are  to  understand 
them  as  put  for  the  sinners  that  commit  them,  or  God's  pun- 
ishing these  sins  upon  the  persons  of  the  sinners. 

3.  We  have  here  before  us  the  sjoecial  aggravation  of 
these  sins,  or  that  which  made  them  more  provoking  to  God 
than  otherwise  they  had  been.     And  it  was  this  :  that  while 


352  CHE.IST  KKOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

they  committed  these  sins,  or  omitted  those  duties,  they  "held 
the  truth  in  unrighteousness  :"  the  word  signifies  to  detain  or 
hinder  the  truth  of  God,  or  the  knowledge  they  had  of  his 
being,  power,  goodness,  and  truth,  as  also  of  his  worship,  and 
the  difference  between  good  and  evil.  These  truths  acted 
on  their  consciences ;  conscience  labored  to  excite  them  to 
duty,  and  restrain  them  from  sin ;  but  all  in  vain,  they  over- 
bore their  own  consciences,  and  kept  those  sentiments  and 
convictions  prisoners,  though  they  struggled  for  liberty  to 
break  forth  into  practice  and  obedience.  Their  convictions 
were  kept  down  under  the  dominion  of  corruption,  as  a  pris- 
oner is  shut  up  by  his  keeper.  Their  lusts  were  too  hard  for 
their  light.  Thus  you  have  both  the  scope  and  sense  of  the 
text.     The  doctrine  taught  by  it  is  this, 

The  ivrath  of  God  is  dreadfully  incensed  against  all 
those  ivho  live  in  any  course  of  sin,  against  the  light  a7id 
dictates  of  their  own  consciences. 

Sins  of  ignorance  provoke  the  wrath  of  God  ;  yet  they 
are  not  of  so  heinous  a  nature  as  sins  against  light  and  con- 
victions are,  nor  will  they  be  punished  so  severely.  "  That 
servant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  prepared  not  him- 
self, neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with 
many  stripes."  Luke  12  :  47.  It  excuses  a  man  in  some 
measure,  when  he  can  say,  Lord,  had  I  known  this  to  be  a 
sin,  I  would  not  have  done  it.  But  when  the  conscience  is 
convinced,  and  strives  to  keep  us  from  such  an  act  or  course 
of  sinful  actions,  and  we  stop  our  ears  against  its  voice  and 
warnings,  here  is  a  high  and  horrid  contempt  of  God  and 
his  law,  and  it  gives  the  sin  a  scarlet  dye.  Sins  of  igno- 
rance cannot  compare  with  such  sins  as  these.  Jolm  3:19; 
15  :  22.  To  open  this  point,  let  me  show  what  conscience 
is  ;  what  the  light  of  conscience  is  ;  and  how  this  hght  binds 
the  conscience  and  makes  it  strive  in  us  ;  then  instance 
some  cases  wherein  it  doth  so ;  and  lastly  show  how  and 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  3o3 

why   the    imprisoning  of  these    convictions    so"  dreadfully 
incenses  the  wrath  of  God. 

I.  It  will  be  needful  to  speak  of  the  nature  of  con- 
science in  general.  Conscience  is  the  judgment  of  man 
upon  himself,  as  he  is  subject  to  the  judgment  of  God.  A 
judgment  it  is,  and  a  practical  judgment  too  ;  it  belongs  to 
the  understanding.  "  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we 
should  not  be  judged."  1  Cor.  11  :  31.  This  self-judgment 
is  the  proper  office  of  the  conscience,  and  to  enable  it  to 
fulfil  its  office,  there  are  three  things  belonging  to  every 
man's  conscience. 

1 .  A  knowledge  of  the  rule  or  law  according  to  which 
it  is  to  judge ;  without  wliich  conscience  can  no  more  do 
its  work,  than  an  artificer  without  liis  square  or  level  can 
do  his. 

2.  Knowledge  of  the  facts  or  matters  to  be  judged. 
The  conscience  of  every  man  keeps  a  register  of  his  actions, 
thoughts,  and  the  very  secrets  of  the  heart. 

3.  An  ability  or  delegated  authority  to  pass  judgment  on 
ourselves  and  actions  according  to  the  rule  and  law  of  God. 
Here  it  sits  upon  the  bench  as  God's  vicegerent,  absolving  or 
condemning,  as  it  finds  the  sincerity  or  hypocrisy  of  the  heart 
upon  trial.      1  John,  3  :  20,  21. 

Conscience,  therefore,  is  a  high  and  awful  power ;  it  is 
next  to  and  immediately  under  God  our  Judge.  Concern- 
ing conscience,  God  says  to  every  man,  as  he  once  did  to 
Moses  with  respect  to  Pharaoh,  "  See,  I  have  made  thee  a 
god  to  Pharaoh."  Exod.  7:1.  The  voice  of  enlightened 
conscience  is  the  voice  of  God,  What  it  binds  or  looses  on 
earth,  is  bound  or  loosed  in  heaven,  1  John,  3  :  20  ;  the  great- 
est deference  and  precise  obedience  is  due  to  its  command. 
Its  consolations  are  of  all  the  most  sweet,  and  its  condem- 
nations, excepting  those  by  the  mouth  o{  Christ  in  the 
last  judgment,  most  terrible.  Zuingle  spoke  not  without 
ground,  when  he  said,  "  What  death  would  I  not  rather 


354  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

choose  ;  what  punishment  would  I  not  rather  hear ;  yea, 
into  what  a  profound  ahyss  of  hell  would  I  not  rather  enter, 
than  to  witness  against  my  conscience  ?"  It  is  likely  he  had 
felt  the  terrors  of  it  to  be  more  bitter  than  death.  How 
many  have  chosen  strangling,  rather  than  life,  under  the 
terrors  of  conscience.  Wherever  you  go,  conscience  accom- 
panies you  ;  whatever  you  say,  do,  or  but  think,  it  records, 
in  order  to  the  day  of  account.  When  all  friends  forsake 
thee,  yea,  when  thy  soul  forsakes  thy  body,  conscience  will 
not,  cannot  forsake  thee.  When  thy  body  is  most  weak,  thy 
conscience  is  most  vigorous  and  active.  Never  is  there  more 
life  in  the  conscience  than  when  death  m^akes  its  nearest 
approach  to  the  body.  When  it  smiles,  acquits,  and  com- 
forts, 0  what  a  heaven  does  it  create  within  a  man.  And 
when  it  frowns,  condemns,  and  terrifies,  how  does  it  becloud, 
yea,  benight  all  the  pleasures  and  delights  of  this  world. 
0  conscience,  how  glad  would  the  damned  be  to  have  taken 
their  last  farewell  of  thee,  when  they  bade  this  world  and 
its  inhabitants  farewell  at  death.  And  what  had  become  of 
all  the  martyrs,  when  shut  up  from  friends  in  dungeons,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  cheering  cordials  and  comforts  thou  didst 
administer  to  support  them  ?  It  is  certainly  the  best  friend 
or  the  worst  enemy  in  the  whole  creation.  This  is  con- 
science, these  are  its  powers  and  offices. 

II.  Our  next  inquiry  must  be  into  the  light  of  con- 
science, and  the  various  kinds  of  that  light.  The  Lord  did 
not  frame  such  an  excellent  structure  as  the  soul  of  man, 
without  windows  to  let  in  light,  nor  does  he  deny  the  bene- 
fit of  light  to  any  soul ;  but  there  is  a  twofold  light  which 
men  have  to  inform  and  guide  their  consciences. 

1.  There  is  the  common  light  of  iiatural  reason,  called 
by  Solomon,  the  candle  of  the  Lord :  "  The  spirit  of  man 
is  the  candle  of  the  Lord."  Pro  v.  20  :  27.  This  is  affirmed 
by  him  who  had  an  extraordinary  portion  of  intellect,  a 
brighter  lamp  of  reason  and  wisdom  than  other  men ;  and 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  355 

this  is  not  only  true  of  the  soul  in  general,  but  of  that  spe- 
cial power  of  it  wliich  is  called  conscience,  which  is  God's 
witness,  and  man's  overseer.  The  heathen  had  this  light 
shining  in  their  minds  and  consciences ;  some  of  them,  by 
the  help  of  this  natural  light,  made  wonderful  discoveries  of 
the  mysteries  of  nature  ;  yea,  they  found  its  efficacy  and 
power  great  in  their  consciences,  to  raise  their  hopes  or  fears, 
according  to  the  good  or  evil  they  had  done.  Ovid  says, 
"  As  is  every  man's  conscience,  so  are  his  hopes  and  fears." 
And  to  the  shame  of  many  who  are  called  Christians,  some 
among  the  heathen  paid  great  reverence  to  their  ov/n  con- 
sciences. "Principally  revere  thyself,"  says  one;  "tempted 
to  any  base  action,  dread  thyself,  even  when  there  is  no  other 
witness."  The  generality  of  the  heathen,  however,  did  not 
so,  and  are  charged  with  this  in  the  text ;  besides,  this  light 
can  make  no  discoveries  of  Christ,  and  of  the  way  of  salva- 
tion by  him.  The  most  eagle-eyed  philosophers  among  them 
were  in  the  dark  here.     And  therefore, 

2.  God  has  afforded  men  a  more  clear  and  excellent 
light  to  shine  hito  their  'minds  and  consciences,  even  the 
light  of  the  gosjiel,  which  compared  with  the  light  of  natu- 
ral reason,  is  as  the  light  of  the  sun  to  the  dim  moonlight. 
"  He  showeth  his  word  unto  Jacob,  his  statutes  and  his 
judgments  unto  Israel.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  na- 
tion ;  and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known  them. 
Praise  ye  the  Lord."  Psa.  147  :  19,  20.  Every  creature 
has  the  name  of  God  engraven  on  it,  but  he  has  magni- 
fied his  word  above  all  his  name.  Psa.  138  :  2.  God,  who 
best  knows  the  value  of  his  own  mercies,  accounts  this  a 
singular  favor  and  privilege  to  any  nation.  Without  reve- 
lation we  could  never  have  known  the  cause  of  our  misery, 
the  fall  of  Adam,  or  the  only  way  of  our  recovery  by  Christ : 
by  this  a  people  are  lifted  up  to  heaven,  Matthew  11  :  23, 
in  respect  to  the  means  of  salvation  ;  and  consequently,  the 
neglect  of  such  light  and  love  will  plunge  the  guilty  into 


356  CHRIST  KNOCKINCt  AT   THE   DOOR. 

proportionable  misery.  "This  is  the  condemnation,  that 
light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darluiess  rather 
than  light."     John  3:19. 

Moreover,  God  not  only  affords  the  light  of  reason  and 
gospel  revelation  to  some  men  in  an  eminent  degree,  but  to 
these  he  adds  the  internal  illumination  of  his  Spirit,  the 
clearest  and  most  glorious  light  in  the  world.  He  shineth 
into  their  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  2  Cor.  4  :  6. 
These  are  the  three  sorts  of  hght  God  makes  to  shine  into 
the  souls  and  consciences  of  men  to  guide  them ;  the  first  a 
common  and  general  light,  the  two  last  the  most  clear  and 
transcendent  in  excellency,  especially  that  of  the  Spirit  with 
the  gospel.  For  though  the  sun  be  risen,  yet  men  may 
draw  the  curtains  about  them,  and  lie  in  darkness ;  but  the 
Spirit  enlightens  the  soul, 

III.  HoAV  this  light  shining  into  the  consciences  of  men 
LEADS  THEM  TO  OBEDIENCE,  and  liow  Hicn's  lusts  Struggle 
against  the  obligations  of  an  enlightened  conscience,  is  the 
next  thing  to  be  considered. 

It  is  beyond  all  controversy,  that  an  enlightened  con- 
science lays  strong  and  indispensable  obligations  on  the  soul 
to  obedience  ;  for  the  will  of  God  is  the  supreme  law  ;  it  is 
the  Avill  of  "the  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord 
of  lords."  1  Tim.  6  :  15.  And  the  promulgation  and  man- 
ifestation of  it  binds  the  conscience  to  obedience,  so  that  no 
authority  on  earth  can  loose  the  bands.  For  conscience,  as 
God's  vicegerent,  in  his  name  requires  obedience,  and  the 
man  that  hears  the  voice  of  God  from  the  mouth  of  his  own 
conscience  thereupon  becomes  a  debtor,  Rom.  1  :  14,  and  is 
put  under  a  necessity.      1  Cor.  9:16. 

Now  conscience,  by  reason  of  the  light  that  shines  into 
it,  feeling  itself  under  such  strong  bands  and  necessities, 
stimulates  and  urges  the  soul  to  obedience,  warns,  com- 
mands, and  presses  the  soul  to  its  duty  against  the  contrary 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLING  CONVICTION.  357 

inclinations  of  the  flesh ;  and  hence  arise  those  conflicts  in 
the  bosoms  of  men.  Sometimes  conscience  prevails,  and 
sometimes  lusts  and  corruptions  prevail,  and  that  with  great 
difliculty ;  for  it  is  not  alike  easy  to  all  men  to  shake  ofl^  or 
burst  the  bands  of  their  consciences.  What  a  hard  task  had 
Saul  to  conquer  his  conscience.  "I  forced  myself,"  saith  he, 
1  Sam.  13  :  12  ;  he  knew  it  belonged  not  to  him  to  offer 
sacrifice,  his  conscience  plainly  told  him  it  would  be  sin  ;  but 
the  fear  of  the  Philistines  being  stronger  than  the  fear  of  God, 
he  ventured  upon  it  against  the  plain  dictates  of  his  con- 
science. Thus  Herod  gave  sentence  to  put  John  to  death  : 
"  The  king  was  sorry  ;  nevertheless,  for  the  oath's  sake,  and 
them  which  sat  with  him  at  meat,  he  commanded  it  to  be 
given  her."  Matt.  14  :  9.  His  honor  weighed  more  than 
his  fear  of  sin,  his  own  word  more  than  God's  word.  No 
man  is  so  perplexed  between  two  vices,  but  he  may  find  an 
issue  without  falling  into  a  third. 

Pilate's  conscience  was  convinced  of  Christ's  innocence, 
Matt.  27:  18,  19,  yet  the  fear  of  Cesar  hurried  him  on  to 
the  greatest  wickedness,  even  to  give  sentence  against  inno- 
cent blood,  yea,  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  Darius,  in 
like  manner,  knew  that  Daniel  was  not  only  an  excellent 
person,  but  that  he  was  entrapped  by  the  nobles  merely  for 
his  conscience,  and  that  to  put  him  to  death  was  to  sacrifice 
him  to  their  malice.  This  he  and  his  conscience  debated, 
and  many  encounters  he  had  with  it ;  for  the  record  saith, 
he  "  was  sore  displeased  with  himself,  and  set  his  heart  on 
Daniel  to  deliver  him ;  and  he  labored  till  the  going  down  of 
the  sun  to  deliver  him,"  Dan.  6:14;  but  after  a  day's  con- 
test between  liim  and  conscience,  sin  prevailed  against  light 
and  returned  victor  in  the  evening.  So  it  was  with  poor 
Spira,  a  sad  apostate  ;  he  seemed  to  hear,  as  it  were,  an  in- 
Miii'd  voice,  Do  not  write,  Spira,  do  not  write.  But  the  love 
of  his  estate,  wife,  and  children,  drew  his  hand  to  the  paper, 
though  conscience  struggled  hard  to  hold  it  back. 


358  CHRIST  KNOCKINa   AT  THE   DOOR. 

% 
Thus,  as  the  restless  sea  strives  to  beat  down  or  break 
over  its   bounds,  so  do  impetuous  lusts   strive  to  overbear 
light  and  conviction.     As  the  E-oman  poet  has  said, 

.     .     .     "  Video  meliora  proboque, 
Deteriora  sequor." 

"  I  see  the  right  and  must  approve  ;   and  yet 
The  wrong  pursue." 

They  know  this  or  that  to  be  sin,  and  that  they  hazard  their 
souls  by  it ;  yet  they  venture  on  it,  and  rush  into  sin  as  the 
horse  into  the  battle. 

IV.  I  promised  to  give  some  instances  of  the  conflict 

BETWEEN  men's  CONSCIENCES  AND  THEIR  CORRUPTIONS,  where- 

iii  conscience  is  vanquished  and  overborne,  and  by  what 
weapons  the  victory  over  conscience  is  obtained.  The  con- 
victions of  men  are  twofold  :  general,  respecting  their  state ; 
and  particular,  respecting  this  or  that  action. 

1 .  There  are  general  convictiofis  given  to  some  men  by 
their  consciences,  that  their  state  of  soul  is  neither  right  nor 
safe — that  they  want  the  main  thing  which  constitutes  a 
Christian,  namely,  regeneration,  or  a  gracious  change  of 
heart.  They  hear  and  read  the  signs  and  effects  of  this 
change,  but  their  consciences  plainly  tell  them  that  these 
evidences  are  not  to  be  found  in  them — that  they  enjoy  the 
external  privileges  of  the  saints,  but  belong  not  to  them — that 
something  is  still  wanting,  and  that  the  main  thing  too. 
"  0  my  soul,  thou  art  not  right;  thou  hast  gifts,  thou  hast  a 
name  to  live,  but  for  all  that  thou  art  dead  ;  some  further 
work  must  be  done  upon  thee,  or  thou  art  undone  to  eter- 
nity :  thou  passest  for  a  good  Christian  among  men,  but 
woe  to  thee  if  thou  die  in  the  state  thou  art."  These,  and 
such  as  these,  are  the  whispers  of  some  men's  consciences  in 
their  ears ;  and  yet  they  cannot  so  yield  themselves  up  into 
the  hands  of  their  convictions,  as  to  confess  and  bewail  their 
hypocrisy  and  gross  mistake,  and  seek  for  a  better  foundation 
to  build  their  hope  on.     Felix's  conscience  gave  him  such  a 


THE    SIN  OF   STIFLINCt  CONVICTION.         359 

terrible  monition  as  this,  and  made  him  tremble  while  Paul 
reasoned  with  him  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judg- 
ment to  come.  Acts  24  :  25.  It  whispered  hi  his  ear  such 
language  as  this  :  "  0  poor  soul,  how  shall  such  an  oppressor, 
such  an  intemperate  wretch  as  thou  art,  stand  before  God 
in  this  day  of  judgment,  which  Paul  proves  is  certainly  to 
come  ?"  For,  as  Tacitus  says  of  him,  he  was  an  insatiable 
gulf  of  covetousness.  So  it  was  with  Agrippa ;  he  stood 
unresolved  what  to  do  :  he  saw  the  heavenly  doctrine  of 
Christianity  evidently  confirmed  by  doctrines  and  miracles, 
his  conscience  pleaded  hard  wdth  him  to  embrace  it,  and  had 
almost  prevailed ;  almost,  or  within  a  little  as  the  word  is, 
thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian.  Acts  24  :  27.  But 
Agrippa  had  too  much  wealth  and  honor  to  forsake  for 
Christ ;  the  love  of  the  present  world  overbore  both  the 
hopes  and  fears  of  the  world  to  come.  And  thus  that  excel- 
lent fisher  for  souls,  who  had  thoroughly  converted  so  many 
to  Christ,  came  short  of  securing  Agrippa  :  almost  is  a  great 
deal  for  so  great  a  person.  The  gospel  is  a  net,  and  encloses 
all  sorts,  whole  Christians  and  half  Christians.  The  con- 
science is  caught,  and  the  will  begins  to  incline  ;  but  0  the 
power  and  prevalence  of  sin,  which,  like  the  rudder,  com- 
mands all  to  a  contrary  course. 

Let  us  come  a  little  nearer,  and  inquire  what  are  those 
hinderances  that  stop  conscience  in  its  course,  bind  and  im- 
prison, stifle  and  suppress  its  convictions ;  so  that  although  a 
man  strongly  suspect  his  foundation  to  be  but  sand,  and  his 
hopes  for  heaven  a  strong  delusion,  yet  will  he  not  throw  up 
his  vain  hopes,  confess  his  self-deceits,  and  begin  all  anew. 
What  is  it  which  overbears  conscience  in  this  case  ?  Let 
men  impartially  examine  their  hearts,  and  it  will  be  found 
that  three  things  bind  and  imprison  these  convictions  of  con- 
science, and  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness. 

(1.)  Shame.  Men  who  have  been  professors,  and  of  good 
esteem  in  the  world,  are  ashamed  the  world  should  know  the 


360  CHRIST  KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOR. 

mistakes  and  errors  of  all  their  life  past,  and  what  deluded 
fools  and  self-deceivers  they  have  been  :  this  is  a  powerful 
restraint  upon  conviction  ;  how  shall  they  look  their  ac- 
quaintances in  the  face  ?  what  will  men  think  and  say  of 
them  ?  "  How  can  ye  believe,  which  receive  honor  one  of 
another  ?"  saith  Christ.  John  5 :  44.  What,  you  Chris- 
tians, and  yet  not  able  to  endure  a  censure  or  a,  scoff  upon 
your  names  I  you  who  stand  more  upon  your  reputation  than 
your  salvation,  how  can  you  believe  ? 

0  what  madness  and  folly  appear  in  this  case  I  men  will 
choose  rather  to  go  on,  though  conscience  tells  them  the  end 
of  that  way  will  be  death,  than  make  a  just  and  necessary 
retraction,  which  is  not  their  shame,  but  their  duty  and 
glory.  You  who  are  so  tender  of  the  shame  of  men,  how 
will  you  be  able  to  endure  the  contempt  and  shame  that 
shall  be  cast  on  you  from  God,  angels,  and  men,  in  the  great 
day  ?  Luke  9  :  26.  It  is  no  shame  to  acknowledge  your 
mistake  ;  but  to  persist  in  it,  after  conviction,  is  shameful 
madness. 

1  knew  an  excellent  minister,  who  proved  an  eminent 
instrument  in  the  church  of  God,  who,  in  the  beginning  of 
his  ministerial  course,  was  not  upon  the  right  foundation  of 
regeneration.  He  had  excellent  natural  and  acquired  gifts, 
and  could  preach  of  regeneration,  faith,  and  heavenly-mind- 
edness,  though  he  felt  nothing  of  these  things  in  his  own 
experience.  His  life  was  unblamable,  and  he  had  no  mean 
esteem,  among  good  men.  It  pleased  the  Lord,  while  he 
was  studying  an  excellent  spiritual  point  to  preach  to  others, 
that  his  conscience  first  preached  it  in  his  study  to  himself, 
and  that  with  such  a  close  and  rousing  application,  as  made 
him  tremble;  telling  him,  that  though  he  had  gifts  above 
many,  and  sobriety  in  his  conversation,  yet  one  thing,  and 
that  the  main  thing,  sanctifying  grace,  was  wanting.  Here- 
upon the  pangs  of  the  new  birth  seized  his  soul,  and  the 
Lord  made  him  a  most  searching,  experimental  minister. 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINCt  CONVICTION.  361 

and  crowned  his  labors  with  unusual  success.  This  minister, 
to  his  dying  day,  was  not  ashamed  in  all  companies  to  ac- 
knowledge his  mistake,  and  bless  God  for  his  recovery  out  of 
it ;  and  in  most  of  his  sermons,  he  would  endeavor  to  con- 
vince false  professors  of  the  necessity  of  a  second  conversion. 

(2.)  Fear  is  another  drawback  which  withholds  men. 
from  executing  the  convictions  of  conscience,  and  obeying  its 
calls  in  this  grand  concern  of  the  soul.  They  are  easy  under 
the  external  profession  and  duties  of  religion,  and  are  afraid 
of  throwing  up  their  vain  hopes,  and  engaging  themselves 
heartily  and  thoroughly  in  religion.  There  are  two  things 
which  alarm  them. 

The  troubles  of  spirit  attending  the  neiv  birth;  which 
they  have  read  and  heard  of,  and  seen  the  effects  in  others. 
0  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  to  lie  under  the  terrors  which  many 
have  felt  I  and  thus  it  is  with  them  as  with  one  that  hath  a 
bone  ill-set,  who,  if  he  have  any  ease,  will  rather  endure  a 
little  daily  pain,  and  be  content  to  halt  all  his  life,  than  un- 
dergo the  pain  of  another  fraction  or  dislocation  in  order  to 
a  perfect  cure. 

They  are  afraid  of  external  sufferings.  The  form  of 
godliness  leaves  men  a  liberty  to  take  or  leave,  according  as 
the  times  favor  or  frown  upon  the  ways  of  religion  ;  but  the 
power  of  godliness  will  engage  them  beyond  retreat.  They 
must  stand  to  it,  come  what  Avill.  But,  soul,  let  me  tell  thee, 
if  the  just  fears  of  hell  and  eternal  wrath  of  God,  to  which 
thou  art  exposed  by  thy  formality,  were  upon  thee,  all  these 
fears  of  inward  or  outward  troubles  would  vanish  the  same 
hour. 

(3.)  Pride  of  heart  suffers  not  this  conviction  of  con- 
science to  work  out  its  effects,  but  holds  the  truth  in  un- 
righteousness, to  the  ruin  of  many  souls.  Men  that  live 
upon  their  own  duties  and  self- righteousness,  are  not  easily 
brought  to  renounce  all  this,  and  live  upon  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  alone  for  justification.     Proud  nature  will  rather 

fhrist  Knonkirii;.  1  6 


362  CHEIST   KNOCKIXa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

venture  the  hazard  of  damnation  than  practise  such  self- 
denial,  E-om.  10:3;  as  you  see  it  common  among  poor  peo- 
ple to  live  on  coarse  fare  of  their  own,  rather  than  upon  the 
alms  and  bounty  of  another. 

But  if  once  the  day  of  God's  power  come,  and  a  man 
feels  the  commandment  come  home  to  his  conscience  as 
Paul  did,  E-om.  7  :  9,  when  he  comes  to  reaUze  the  world 
to  come,  the  value  of  his  soul,  and  the  danger  it  is  in,  then 
all  these  hinderances  are  as  easily  swept  away,  as  so  many 
straws  by  the  rapid  course  of  a  mighty  torrent.  Then  let 
men  say  or  think  what  they  please,  I  must  not  throw  away 
my  own  soul  to  maintain  a  vain  estimation  among  men. 
Let  inward  or  outward  sufferings  be  ever  so  great,  it  is  bet- 
ter for  me  to  feel  them,  than  to  suffer  the  everlasting  wrath 
of  the  great  and  terrible  God.  Let  my  own  righteousness 
be  what  it  will,  all  is  but  dung  and  dross  to  the  pure  and 
perfect  righteousness  of  Christ. 

2.  As  this  general  conviction  with  respect  to  men's  con- 
dition is  held  in  unrighteousness,  and  they  go  with  troubled 
consciences  and  frequent  inward  fears  by  reason  of  it ;  so 
there  are  msmy  2^cirticidar  convictions  bound  and  imprisoned 
in  men's  souls — particular  convictions  both  as  to  sins  com- 
mitted and  known  duties  omitted  against  both  tables  of  the 
law  of  God,  called  in  the  text  ungodliness  and  unright- 
eousness. Conscience  labors  and  strives  to  bring  men  to 
confess,  bewail,  and  reform  them,  but  cannot  prevail ;  con- 
trary lusts  and  interests  overpower  them,  and  detain  them  in 
unrighteousness.  What  these  are,  and  how  they  are  with- 
held by  those  lusts,  I  shall  give  in  some  instances.  And 
first,  for  convictions  of  ungodliness. 

Instance  1.  There  are  many  wdio  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians, whose  conscience  tells  them  that  God  is  to  he  dailij 
%vorshi'p'ped  by  them,  both  in  family  and  closet  j^rayer.  It 
sets  before  them  Joshua's  pious  practice:  "As  for  me  and 
my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord."     Joshua  24  :  15.     They 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLINa  CONVICTIOK.  363 

know  God  is  the  founder,  the  owner,  the  master  of  their 
famihes ;  that  all  family  blessings  are  from  him,  and  there- 
fore he  is  to  be  acknowledged  and  sought  in  daily  family 
prayers  and  praises.  It  tells  them  that  the  curse  of  God 
hangs  over  prayerless  families,  Jer.  10  :25;  and  that  they 
live  in  the  inexcusable  neglect  of  these  duties,  seldom  wor- 
shipping God  with  their  families  or  in  their  closets,  and  that 
therefore  they  live  without  God  in  the  world.  Dreadful 
will  the  reckoning  be  at  the  great  day  for  their  own  souls, 
which  they  have  starved  for  want  of  closet  prayer,  and  for 
the  souls  committed  to  their  charge,  which  perish  for  want 
of  family  duties.  This  is  the  case  of  many  who  yet  pass  for 
professors  of  Christianity. 

Lord,  how  sad  a  case  is  here.  How  can  men  live  in  the 
neglect  of  so  great,  so  necessary  a  duty  ?  Certainly  it  is  not 
for  want  of  light  and  conviction  ;  the  very  light  of  nature,  if 
we  had  no  Bibles,  discovers  these  duties.  But  three  things 
hold  this  truth  of  God  dictated  by  men's  conscience  in  un- 
righteousness. 

(1.)  The  love  of  the  ivorld  chokes  this  conviction  in  the 
souls  of  some  ;  and  they  think  it  enough  to  plead  for  their 
excuse,  the  want  of  opportunities  and  the  many  encumbran- 
ces they  have,  which  will  not  allow  them  time  for  these 
duties.  The  world  is  a  severe  taskmaster,  and  fills  their 
heads  and  hands  all  the  day  with  cares  and  toils.  And 
must  the  mouth  of  conscience  then  be  stopped  with  such  a 
plea  as  this  ?  No  ;  God  and  conscience  will  not  be  answered 
and  put  ofi^  so.  The  greatest  number  of  persons  in  the  world 
fiom  whom  God  has  the  most  spiritual  and  excellent  wor- 
ship, are  of  the  poorer  class.  Psalm  74  :  21  ;  James  2:5. 
And  it  is  highly  probable  your  necessities  had  been  less,  if 
your  prayers  had  been  more.  And  what  sweeter  outlet  and 
relief  for  all  these  troubles  can  you  find  than  prayer  ?  This 
would  sweeten  all  your  labors  and  sorrows  in  the  world. 

(2.)    Consciou&ness  of  icant  of  gifts  restrains  this  con- 


364  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE    DOOR. 

victioii  in  others.  Should  they  attempt  such  duties  before 
others,  they  shall  but  expose  their  own  ignorance  and  shame. 
But  this  is  a  vain  pretence  to  shake  ofF  duty.  The  neglect 
of  prayer  is  a  principal  cause  of  the  inability  you  complain 
of;  gifts  as  well  as  graces  grow  by  exercise.  "Unto  every 
one  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance." 
Matt.  25  :  29.  And  besides,  it  is  the  fruit  of  pride,  and 
argues  your  eye  to  be  more  upon  your  own  honor  than  God's. 
The  Lord  regards  not  oratory  in  prayer  ;  your  broken  ex- 
pressions, yea,  your  groans  and  sighs  please  him  more  than 
all  the  eloquence  in  the  world. 

(3.)  But  the  principal  thing  which  restrains  men  from 
obeying  their  convictions  as  to  family  and  closet  prayer,  is  a 
disinclined  heart ;  that  is  the  root  and  true  cause  of  these 
sinful  neglects  and  omissions.  You  savor  not  the  sweetness 
of  these  things  ;  and  what  a  man  tastes  no  sweetness  in,  or 
finds  no  necessity  of,  is  easily  omitted. 

But  woe  to  you  that  go  from  day  to  day  self- condemned 
for  the  neglect  of  so  known,  so  sweet,  and  so  necessary  a 
duty.  If  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our 
heart.  1  John,  3  :  20.  He  who  lives  without  prayer  is 
dead  while  he  lives ;  and  let  men  say  what  they  please  of 
secret  communion  with  God,  I  am  sm-e,  if  religion  thrives  in 
the  closet,  it  will  never  be  banished  from  the  family.  The 
time  is  coming  when  death  will  break  up  your  families,  sep- 
arate the  wife  from  the  husband,  the  child  from  the  parent, 
the  servant  from  the  master ;  and  then  where  you  will  find 
relief  and  comfort  who  have  spent  your  time  together  so  sin- 
fully and  vainly,  I  cannot  tell ;  nor  what  account  you  can 
give  to  God  in  the  great  day.  Think  seriously  on  these 
things,  they  are  worth  thinking  of. 

Instance  2.  A  second  instance  of  ungodliness  under  the 
convictions  of  conscience,  informality  in  the  external  duties 
of  religion  and  ordinances  of  God.  Have  not  the  consciences 
of  some  of  you  often  and  plainly  told  you,  that  though  you 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLINa   CONVICTION.  365 

are  often  engaged  in  the  public  duties  of  hearing,  prayer, 
and  other  ordinances,  yet  your  hearts  are  not  with  God  in 
those  duties  ?  They  do  not  strive  after  communion  and  fel- 
lowship with  him  therein.  It  is  nothing  but  the  force  of 
education,  of  custom,  and  the  care  of  reputation  which  brings 
you  there. 

Such  a  conviction  as  this,  could  it  do  its  work  thoroughly, 
would  be  the  salvation  of  thy  soul ;  were  power  added  to 
the  form,  as  conscience  would  have  it,  thou  wouldst  then  be 
a  real  Christian,  and  out  of  the  danger  of  hell.  The  want 
of  this  thy  conscience  sees  will  be  thy  ruin,  and  accordingly 
gives  thee  plain  warning  of  it.  0  what  pity  is  it  such  a 
conviction  as  this  should  be  held  in  unrighteousness.  But 
so  it  is  in  very  many  souls,  and  that  on  several  accounts. 

(1 .)  Because  hypocrisy  is  so  odious  and  abominable  a  sijt 
that  men  are  loath  to  own  and  acknowledge  it,  how  guilty 
soever  they  be  of  it.  What,  dissemble  with  God,  and  play 
the  hypocrite  with  him  ?  It  is  so  foul  a  crime  that  men  can- 
not easily  be  brought  to  charge  themselves  with  it.  They 
may  have  the  infirmities  which  are  common  to  the  best  of 
men,  but  they  are  not  hypocrites.  Thus,  pride  of  heart  casts 
a  chain  upon  conviction,  and  binds  it,  that  it  cannot  do  its 
work. 

(2.)  It  is  a  cheap  and  easy  way  to  give  God  the  external 
worship  of  the  body,  but  heart-icork  is  hard  ivork.  To  sit 
or  kneel  an  hour  or  two  is  no  great  matter  ;  but  to  search, 
humble,  and  break  the  heart  for  sin,  to  raise  earthly  affec- 
tions into  a  spiritual,  heavenly  frame,  this  will  cost  many  a 
hard  effort.  It  is  no  severe  task  to  sit  before  God  as  his  peo- 
ple, wliile  the  fancy  and  thoughts  are  left  at  liberty  to  wan- 
der where  they  please,  as  the  thoughts  of  hypocrites  use  to 
do,  Ezek.  33  :  31  ;  but  to  set  a  watch  on  the  heart,  to  retract 
every  wandering  thought  with  a  sigh,  and  to  fix  the  thoughts 
on  God,  this  is  difficult,  and  the  difficulty  overpowers  con- 
viction of  duty. 


366  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

(3.)  The  atheism  of  the  heart  quenches  this  conviction 
in  men's  souls.  FormaUty  is  a  secret  sin,  not  discernible  by 
man  ;  the  outside  of  religion  looks  fair  to  man's  eye,  and  so 
long  it  is  well  enough,  as  if  there  was  not  a  God  who  trieth 
the  hearts  and  the  reins.  Thus,  when  a  beam  of  light  and 
conviction  shines  into  the  soul,  a  cloud  of  natural  atheism 
overshadows  and  darkens  it. 

But,  poor  self-deceiving  hypocrite,  these  things  must  not 
pass  so  ;  thy  conscience,  as  well  as  the  word,  tells  thee  it 
is  not  the  place  of  worship,  but  the  spirituality  of  it  that 
God  regards,  John  4  :  23,  24  ;  that  they  are  hypocrites  in 
scripture  account  who  have  God  in  their  mouths,  while  he 
is  far  from  their  reins,  Jer.  12:2;  and  that  hypocrites  will 
have  the  hottest  place  in  hell.     Matt.  24  :  51. 

Instance  3.  A  third  instance  of  convictions  of  ungodli- 
ness held  in  unrighteousness,  is  in  declining  or  denying  to 
confess  the  knoivn  truths  of  God,  which  we  ourselves  have 
professed,  when  the  confession  of  them  exposes  us  to  danger. 
In  times  of  danger,  conscience  struggles  hard  with  men  to 
appear  for  the  truths  of  God,  and  on  no  account  whatever 
to  dissemble  or  deny  them;  and  enforces  its  counsels  and 
warnings  upon  us  with  such  awful  scriptures  as  these :  "No 
man  having  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking  back, 
is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God."  Luke  9  :  62.  "But  who- 
soever shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Matt.  10:33. 
In  this  case  conscience  useth  to  struggle  hard  with  men, 
yet  is  many  times  overborne  by  the  temptations  of  the 
flesh,     k  s, 

(1.)  By  carnal  fears.  The  fear  of  suffering  gets  ascen- 
dency over  the  fear  of  God ;  men  choose  rather  to  venture 
their  souls  upon  wrath  to  come,  than  the  present  wrath  of 
incensed  enemies.  They  vainly  "hope  to  find  mercy  with 
God,"  but  expect  none  from  men.  Thus  the  fear  of  man 
bringeth  a  snare,  Prov.  29  :  25 ;  and  so  the  voice  of  con- 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLINO  CONVICTION.  367 

science  is  drowned  by  the  louder  clamors  and  threats   of 
adversaries, 

(2.)  As  the  fear  of  man's  threatenings,  so  the  distrust  of 
Gods  2^'oniiscs  defeats  the  design  of  conscience.  If  men 
believed  the  promises,  they  would  never  be  afraid  of  their 
duties  ;  faith  in  the  promises  would  make  men  bold  as  lions, 
if  such  a  word  was  in  mind  as  this :  "  Of  whom  hast  thou 
been  afraid  or  feared,  that  thou  hast  lied,  and  hast  not 
remembered  me  ?"  Isa.  57  :  11.  Men  would  say,  as  Zuingle 
in  the  hke  case,  What  death  would  I  not  rather  choose  to 
die  ;  what  punishment  would  I  not  rather  undergo  ;  yea,  into 
what  vault  of  hell  would  I  not  rather  choose  to  be  cast,  than 
to  witness  against  my  own  conscience  ? 

(3.)  The  inordinate  love  of  the  icorld  overpowers  con- 
science, and  drowns  its  voice  in  such  an  hour  of  temptation. 
So  Demas  found  it.  2  Tim.  4:10.  0  what  a  dangerous 
conflict  is  there  in  an  hour  of  temptation,  between  an  enlight- 
ened head  and  a  worldly  heart. 

(4.)  The  examioles  of  others  who  embrace  the  sinful 
terms  of  liberty  to  escape  the  danger,  embolden  men  to  fol- 
low, and  Satan  Avill  not  be  wanting  to  improve  their  exam- 
ples. "  Do  not  you  see  such  and  such  men  travelling  the  road 
before  you  ?  Learned  and  prudent  men,  who,  it  may  be, 
have  less  heart  but  more  wisdom  than  you.  Why  will  you 
be  singular,  and  hazard  all  for  that  for  wliich  others  will 
hazard  nothing?" 

But  certainly  such  sins  as  these  will  cost  you  dear  :  it  is 
a  dreadful  thing  to  betray  the  truth  and  honor  of  God  for 
base,  secular  ends  ;  and  you  will  find  it  so  when  you  and 
your  consciences  shall  debate  it  together  in  a  calm  hour. 

There  are  also  sins  of  unrighteousness  against  the  sec- 
ond table,  in  which  many  live  against  the  plain  dictates  and 
warnings  of  their  own  consciences,  though  they  know  the 
wrath   of  God  is  revealed   from   heaven   against  aU  un- 


368  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT   THE    DOuE,. 

righteousness  of  men  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteous- 
ness. 

Instance  4.  And  here  let  me  instance  the  sin  o{  defraud- 
ing others,  in  our  dealings  with  them  ;  overreaching  and 
cheating  the  ignorant  or  unwary,  who,  it  may  be,  would  not 
be  so  unwary  as  they  are,  did  they  not  repose  confidence  in 
our  deceitful  words  and  promises.  Conscience  cannot  but 
startle  at  such  a  sin,  the  light  of  nature  reveals  it,  and  even 
the  sober  heathen  abhor  it ;  but  we  who  live  under  the  gos- 
pel cannot  but  feel  some  terror  and  trembling  in  our  con- 
sciences when  we  read  such  an  awful  prohibition,  backed 
wdth  such  a  dreadful  threatening  as  that  in  1  Thess.  4:6: 
"  That  no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother  in  any 
matter;  because  that  the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all  such." 
The  Greek  word  imports  that  no  man  overtop,  that  is, 
by  power,  or  by  craft  and  policy.  To  this  sin  a  dreadful 
threatening  is  annexed,  "the  Lard  is  the  avenger  of  all 
such."  This  word  is  but  once  more,  that  I  remember,  used 
in  the  New  Testament,  E,om.  13:4,  and  is  there  applied 
to  the  civil  magistrate,  who  must  see  execution  done  upon 
malefactors  ;  but  here  the  Lord  himself  says  he  will  be  this 
man's  avenger.  This  rod,  or  rather  this  axe,  conscience 
shows  to  men,  and  gives  w' arning  of  the  danger,  and  yet  its 
convictions  are  overpowered  and  bound  as  prisoners  by, 

(1.)  The  excessive  love  of  gain.  "But  they  that  will 
be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into  many 
foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruction 
and  perdition."  1  Tim.  6  :  9.  When  a  resolution  is  made 
for  the  world,  men  will  be  rich  by  right  or  wrong ;  this 
powerfully  arms  the  temptation.  Set  gain  before  such  a 
man,  and  he  will  break  through  the  law  of  God  and  convic- 
tions of  conscience,  but  he  will  have  it;  this  drowns  them 
in  destruction  and  perdition,  that  is,  it  surely,  thoroughly, 
and  fully  ruins  them.  He  is  a  dead  man  who  is  only  drown- 
ed ;  but  to  be  drowned  in  destruction,  yea,  in  destruction 


THE   Sm   OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  369 

and  perdition  too,  this  must  needs  make  his  ruin  sure ;  and 
so  all  shall  surely  find  who  persist  in  such  a  course. 

(2.)  Necessities  and  straits  overbear  conscience  in  others ; 
necessity  has  no  ears  to  attend  the  voice  of  the  word  and 
conscience.  Here  conscience  and  poverty  struggle  together, 
and  if  the  fear  of  God  is  not  exalted  in  the  soul,  it  now  falls 
a  prey  to  temptation.  This  danger  the  wise  Agur  foresaw, 
and  earnestly  entreated  the  Lord  for  a  competency  to  avoid 
the  snare  of  poverty.  Prov.  30  :  8,  9.  How  much  better 
were  it  for  thee  to  endure  the  pains  of  hunger  than  those  of 
a  guilty  conscience.  Such  gains  may  be  sweet  in  thy  mouth, 
but  bitter  in  thy  bowels. 

(3.)  The  examples  of  others  who  venture  on  such  sins 
without  scruple,  and  laugh  at  tender  consciences.  This 
emboldens  others  to  follow  them,  Psa.  50  :  18,  and  thus  the 
voice  of  conscience  is  drowned,  and  convictions  buried  for  a 
time ;  but  conscience  will  thunder  at  last,  and  thy  buried 
convictions  will  have  a  resurrection,  and  it  shall  be  out  of 
thy  power  to  silence  them  again. 

Instance  5.  The  truth  of  God  is  held  in  unrighteousness, 
lohen  onen's  lusts  ivill  not  suffer  them  to  restore  what  they 
have  unjustly  gotten  into  their  hands.  This  sin  resting  on 
the  consciences  of  some  men,  makes  them  very  uneasy,  and 
yet  they  make  a  hard  shift  to  rub  along  under  these  regrets 
of  conscience.  Now  those  things  which  make  a  forcible 
entry  into  the  conscience,  take  the  truths  of  God  prisoners 
and  bind  them,  that  they  cannot  break  forth  into  the  duty  of 
restitution,  are, 

(1.)  The  shame  which  attends  and  follows  the  duty  to 
which  God  and  conscience  call  the  soul.  It  is  a  shame  and 
reproach,  they  think,  to  get  the  name  of  a  cheat ;  loath,  loath 
they  are,  that  these  works  of  darkness  should  come  to  the 
open  light ;  men  will  point  at  them,  and  say.  There  goes  a 
thief,  a  cheat,  an  oppressor.  This  keeps  many  from  restitu- 
tion.    But  dost  thou  not  here  commit  a  greater  cheat  than 

16*^ 


370         CHUisT  knockinct  at  the  door. 

the  former  ?  "\Yhich  is  the  greatest  shame,  thinkest  thou, 
to  commit  sin,  or  to  confess  and  reform  it  ?  To  bind  the 
snare  upon  thy  soul  by  commission,  or  loose  it  from  thy  con- 
science by  repentance  and  restitution ;  to  be  the  derision  of 
"wicked  men,  for  none  else  will  deride  thee  for  thy  duty,  or 
be  the  contempt  and  derision  of  God,  angels,  and  all  good 
men  for  ever ;  to  attain  inward  peace  at  this  hazard,  or  to 
lie  under  the  continual  lashes  and  wounds  of  thy  own  con- 
science ? 

(2.)  Poverty  is  sometimes  pleaded  to  quiet  the  troubled 
conscience  ;  and  indeed  this  is  a  just,  and  very  frequent 
blight  of  God  on  ill-gotten  goods  ;  the  curse  of  God  is  upon 
them,  and  they  melt  away.  0  in  what  a  snare  have  you 
now  entangled  your  souls.  Once  you  could,  but  Avould  not 
restore  ;  a  worldly  heart  would  not  part  with  unjust  gains  : 
now  you  would,  but  cannot.  Thus  a  worldly  heart  and  an 
empty  purse  hold  you  first  and  last  under  the  guilt  of  a 
known  sin.     A  lamentable  case. 

(3.)  Vain  jyuiyoses  often  suppress  and  silence  convic- 
tions. My  condition  may  alter';  I  may  be  in  a  situation 
hereafter  when  I  can  better  spare  it  than  at  present ;  or  I 
will  do  it  in  my  last  will,  and  charge  xny  executors  with  it. 
Thus  do  mien  bribe  their  consciences  to  get  a  little  quiet, 
while  they  continue  under  known  guilt,  and  cannot  tell  how 
soon  death  shall  summon  therai  to  the  awful  bar  of  a  just 
and  terrible  God. 

Sirs,  as  you  value  your  peace,  and  which  is  more,  your 
souls,  release  the  Lord's  prisoner  which  lies  bound  within 
you  with  cords  and  chains  of  Satan's  making ;  do  it,  I  say, 
as  you  hope  to  see  the  face  of  God  in  peace.  You  know  that 
without  repentance  there  can  be  no  salvation,  and  without 
restitution  no  repentance ;  for  how  can  you  repent  of  a  sin 
you  still  knowingly  continue  in?  Repentance  is  the  soul's 
turning  from  sin,  as  well  as  its  sorrow  for  sin.  You  cannot 
therefore  repent  of  sin  and  still  continue  in  it :  "  How  shall 


THE   SIN   OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  371 

we  that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer  therein?"  E,om. 
6:2.  Trust  Providence  for  the  supply  of  your  wants  and 
the  wants  of  those  dependent  on  you  in  the  way  of  duty  and 
righteousness.  "  A  little  that  a  righteous  man  hath  is  better 
t];ian  the  riches  of  many  wicked."  Psa.  37  :  IG.  You  will 
have  more  comfort  in  bread  and  water  Avith  peace  of  con- 
science, than  in  full  tables  with  God's  curse.  You  will  lie 
more  at  ease  on  a  bed  of  straw,  than  on  a  bed  of  down  with 
an  accusing  conscience. 

Instance  6.  Hoiv  many  lie  under  the  condemnation  of 
their  consciences,  for  the  lusts  of  uncleanness  i7i  tvhich  they 
live.  They  read,  and  their  consciences  apply  to  them  such 
scripture  as  1  Cor.  6  :  9,  10  :  "Be  not  deceived  ;  neither 
fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor 
abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor  covet- 
ous,, nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  A  dreadful  sentence  !  And 
this,  "  Whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will  judge."  Heb. 
13  :  4.     Yet  convictions  are  overborne  and  stifled  by, 

(1.)  The  i77ipetuous  violence  of  carnal  lusts,  which  per- 
mit not  calm  debates,  but  hurry  them  on  to  the  sin,  and 
leave  them  to  consider  the  evil  and  dangerous  consequences 
afterward.  Thus  they  go,  "  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter,  or  as 
a  fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks."  Prov.  7  :  22.  Lust 
besots  them.  To  give  counsel  now  is  but  to  give  medicine 
in  a  paroxysm,  or  counsel  to  him  who  is  running  a  race. 
Lust  answers  conscience  as  Antipater  did  one  that  presented 
him  a  book  treating  of  happiness,  I  have  no  leisure  to  read 
such  discourses. 

(2.)  Others  would  fain  solve  their  scruples  with  the  fail- 
ings of  good  men,  as  David,  Solomon,  and  others  ;  not  con- 
sidering what  brokenness  of  heart  it  cost  David,  Psa.  51, 
and  Solomon  sorrow  more  bitter  than  death,  Eccl.  7  :  26. 
This  is  a  presumptuous  way  of  sinning,  and  how  dreadful 
that  is,  see  in  Num.  15  :  30. 


372  CHEIST  KNOCKIN&  AT   THE   DOOR. 

Instance  7.  Truth  is  often  held  in  unrighteousness  by 
sinful  silence,  in  not  reproving  other  men's  sins  ;  thereby 
making  them  our  ow^n.  We  are  sometimes  cast  into  the 
company  of  ungodly  men,  where  we  hear  the  name  of  God 
blasphemed,  or  the  truth,  worship,  or  servants  of  God  re- 
proached ;  and  have  not  so  much  courage  to  appear  for  God, 
as  others  have  to  appear  against  him  :  in  such  cases  con- 
science is  wont  to  stir  up  men  to  their  duty,  and  charge  it 
home  upon  them  in  the  authority  of  such  a  scripture  as 
this  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart  ; 
thou  shalt  in  any  wise  rebuke  thy  neighbor,  and  not  suffer 
sin  upon  him."  Lev.  19  :  17.  0,  says  conscience,  thy 
silence  now  will  be  thy  sin  ;  this  man  may  perish  for  want 
of  a  seasonable,  plain,  and  faithful  rebuke  ;  thy  silence  will 
harden  him  in  his  wickedness.  No  soonel'  does  such  a  con- 
viction stir  in  the  conscience,  but  many  things  are  ready  to 
lay  hold  on  it.     As, 

(1.)  A  spirit  of  coicardice  which  makes  us  afraid  to 
displease  men,  and  chooses  rather  that  the  wrath  of  God 
should  fall  on  them,  than  their  wrath  fall  on  us.  We  dare 
not  take  as  much  liberty  to  reprove  sin  as  others  do  to  com- 
mit it.  They  glory. in  their  shame,  and  we  are  ashamed  of 
what  is  both  our  glory  and  our  duty. 

(2.)  DeiJendence  on,  or  near  relation  to  the  person  sin- 
ning. It  is  a  father,  a  husband,  a  superior,  on  whose  favor 
I  depend,  and  should  I  displease  him  I  may  ruin  myself; 
this  is  the  voice  of  the  flesh.  Hence  duty  is  neglected,  and 
the  soul  of  a  friend  basely  betrayed  ;  our  interest  is  preferred 
to  God's,  and  thereby  frequently  lost ;  for  there  is  no  better 
way  to  secure  our  own  interest  in  any  man's  heart,  than  to 
fasten  it  in  his  conscience  by  our  faithfulness  and  by  being 
willing  to  hazard  it  for  God's  glory.  The  Lord  blesses 
men's  faithfulness  above  all  their  sinful,  carnal  policy.  "  He 
that  rebuketh  a  man,  afterwards  shall  find  more  favor  than 
he  that  flattereth  with  his  lips."     Prov.  28  :  23. 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  373 

(3.)  Men's  own  guilt  silences  them.  They  are  ashamed 
and  afraid  to  reprove  other  men's  sins,  lest  they  should  hear 
of  their  own.  Fear  of  retort  keeps  them  from  the  duty  of 
reprehension.  Thus  we  fall  into  a  new  sin  for  fear  of  reviv- 
ing an  old  one.  "  He  that  reproveth  a  scorner,  getteth  to 
himself  shame  ;  and  he  that  rebuketh  a  wicked  man,  getteth 
himself  a  blot."  Pro  v.  9:7.  But  this  is  the  fruit  of  our 
pride  and  ignorance.  What  we  fear,  might  turn  to  our  ben- 
efit. The  reproof  given  is  duty  discharged ;  and  the  retort 
in  return  is  a  fresh  call  to  repentance  for  sin  past,  and  a 
caution  against  sin  to  come. 

Instance  8.  Another  instance  of  conviction  of  unright- 
eousness imprisoned  in  men's  souls  is,  not  distributing  to 
the  necessities,  of  others,  especially  such  as  fear  God,  when 
it  is  in  the  power  of  our  hands  to  do  it,  and  conscience  as 
well  as  Scripture  calls  us  to  our  duty.  Men  cannot  be  igno- 
rant of  that  text  where  charity  to  the  saints  is  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  put  for  the  whole  of  obedience,  and  men's 
eternal  states  are  fixed  according  to  their  observance  of  this 
command.  Matt.  25  :  40,  41  ;  though  I  fear  few,  very  few 
study  and  believe  it  as  they  ought.  Thou  canst,  says  con- 
science, if  thou  wilt,  relieve  such  or  such  a  poor  Christian, 
and  therein  express  thy  love  to  Christ  :  do  it,  God  will  repay 
it ;  if  thou  refusest,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  thee  ? 
1  John,  3:17.  This  is  the  voice  of  God  and  conscience, 
but  divers  lusts  are  ready  to  seize  and  bind  this  conviction 
also  as  soon  as  it  stirs. 

(1.)  The  excessive  love  of  earthly  things.  The  world 
is  so  deep  in  men's  hearts,  that  they  will  rather  part  with 
their  peace,  yea,  and  their  souls  too,  than  part  with  it. 
Hence  come  those  churlish  answers,  like  that  of  Nabal, 
"  Shall  I  then  take  my  bread,  and  my  water,  and  my  flesh, 
that  I  have  killed  for  my  shearers,  and  give  it  unto  men 
whom  I  know  not  whence  they  be  ?"      1  Sam.  25  :  11. 

(2.)    Unbelief ;  which  denies  honor  and   due  credit  to 


374  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

Christ's  bills  of  exchange  drawn  upon  them  m  Scripture,  and 
presented  to  them  by  the  hands  of  poor  saints.  They  refuse 
to  credit  them,  though  conscience  protest  against  their  non- 
compliance. Christ  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup 
of  water  to  drink  in  my  name,  because  ye  belong  to  Christ, 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  not  lose  his  reward."  Mark 
9:41.  He  shall  gain  that  which  he  cannot  lose,  by  parting 
with  that  which  he  cannot  keep. 

(3.)  The  ivant  of  love  to  Jesus  Christ.  Did  we  love 
him  in  sincerity,  and  were  that  love  fervent  as  it  ought  to 
be,  it  would  make  us  more  ready  to  lay  down  our  necks  for 
Christ,  than  we  now  are  to  lay  down  a  shilling  for  him. 
1  John,  3:16.  It  is  our  duty,  in  some  cases,  to  spend  our 
blood  for  the  saints.  So  it  was  in  the  primitive  times  : 
Behold,  said  the  Christian's  enemies,  how  they  love  one  an- 
other, and  are  willing  to  die  one  for  another.  But  that  spirit 
is  almost  extinguished  in  these  degenerate  days. 

Instance  9,  How  many  stand  convinced,  by  their  own 
consciences,  what  a  sin  it  is  to  spend  their  precious  time  so 
idly  and  vainly  as  they  do.  When  a  day  is  lost  in  vanity, 
duties  neglected,  and  no  good  done  or  received,  at  night 
conscience  reckons  with  them  for  it,  and  asks  what  account 
they  can  give  of  that  day  to  God,  how  they  can  satisfy 
themselves  to  lie  down  and  sleep  under  so  much  guilt. 
And  yet,  when  the  morrow  comes,  the  vanity  of  their  hearts 
carries  them  on  in  the  same  course  again  the  next  day  ; 
and  while  they  keep  in  vain  company  they  are  quiet,  till 
conscience  finds  them  at  leisure  to  debate  it  again  wdth 
them.  Now  the  things  which  overpower  these  convictions 
are, 

(1.)  In  some  men,  their  ignorance  and  insensihility  of 
the  preciousness  of  time.  They  know  it  is  a  sin  to  spend 
their  time  so  vainly,  but  little  consider  that  eternity  itself 
hangs  upon  this  little  moment  of  time  ;  that  the  great  work 
of  their  salvation  will  require  all  the  time  they  have  ;  and 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  375 

if  it  be  not  finished  in  this  small  allotment  of  time,  it  can 
never  be  finished.     John  9:4. 

(2.)  The  examples  of  vain  'pers.on?>  who  are  as  prodigal 
of  their  precious  time  as  themselves,  and  entice  them  to 
spend  it  as  they  do. 

(3.)  The  delusive  power  oi  se7isual  pleasures.  0  how 
pleasantly  does  time  slide  away  in  theatres  and  taverns,  in 
relating:  or  hearing  stories,  news,  and  other  such  matters. 

(4.y  Inconsiderateness  of  the  sharp  and  terrible  rebukes 
of  conscience  for  this  on  a  death-bed,  or  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

In  all  these  instances  yon  see  how  common  is  this 
dreadful  evil  of  holding  the  truth  in  unrighteousness  ;  yet 
these  are  but  a  few  selected  from  many. 


376  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

CHAPTER   XIY. 

THE    TRUTH   HELD   IN    UNRIGHTEOUSNESS- 
CONTINUED. 

"THE  WRATH  OF  GOD  IS  REVEALED  FROM  HEAVEN  AGAINST 
ALL  UNGODLINESS  AND  UNRIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  MEN,  WHO  HOLD 
THE  TRUTH  IN  UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."    Rom.  1  :  18. 

V.  I  NOW  proceed  to  show  how  and  why  the  imprison- 
ment of  convictions,  or  holding  the  truths  of  God  in  un- 
righteousness, so    DREADFULLY  INCENSES    HIS   WRATH.       And 

this  it  does  on  several  accounts. 

1.  Knowledge  of  sin  is  a  choice  help  to  preserve  men 
from  falling  into  it.  There  are  thousands  of  sins  commit- 
ted in  the  world,  which  had  never  been  committed  if  men 
had  known  them  to  be  sins  before  they  committed  them. 
Every  sinner  durst  not  make  so  bold  with  his  conscience  as 
you  have  done.  The  apostle  tells  us,  the  reason  why  the 
princes  of  this  world  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory  was,  be- 
cause they  knew  him  not,  1  Cor.  2  :  8  ;  had  they  known  him 
they  would  not  have  dared  to  do  as  they  did.  And  so,  in 
multitudes  of  lesser  sins,  Satan  blinds  the  eyes  of  men  with 
ignorance,  then  uses  their  hands  and  tongues  in  wickedness  ; 
he  is  the  ruler  of  the  darkness  of  this  world.  Eph.  6:12. 
But  when  men  know  this  or  that  to  be  sin,  and  yet  venture 
on  it,  an  excellent  antidote  against  sin  is  turned  into  a 
dreadful  aggravation  of  it,  which  highly  incenses  the  wrath 
of  G6d. 

(2.)  Knowledge  and  conviction  going  before,  add  pre- 
sumption to  the  sin  that  follows  after  it ;  and  presumptuous 
Bin  is  the  most  provoking  and  daring  sin  :  from  this  way  of 
sinning  David  earnestly  besought  God  to  keep  him:  "  Keep 
back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous  sins."  Psa.  19:13. 
"When  a  man  sees  sin  and  yet  ventures  on  it,  in  such  sinning 
there  is  a  despising  of  the  law  of  God :  a  man  may  break 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLING-   CONVICTION.  377 

the  law  while  he  approves,  reverences,  and  honors  it  in  his 
heart,  E.om.  7  :  12,  13  ;  but  here  the  commandment  is  de- 
spised, as  God  told  David,  2  Sam.  12:9.  It  is  as  if  a  man 
should  say,  I  see  the  command  of  God  armed  with  threaten- 
ing in  my  way,  but  I  will  go  on  for  all  that. 

3.  Knowledge  and  conviction  leave  the  conscience  of  a 
sinner  wholly  without  excuse  for  his  sin.  In  tliis  case  there 
is  no  plea  left  to  extenuate  the  offence  :  "  Now  they  have 
no  cloak  for  their  sin."  John  15  :  22.  If  a  man  sins  igno- 
rantly,  his  ignorance  is  some  excuse  for  his  sin ;  it  excuses  it 
in  a  measure,  as  Paul  tells  us,  1  Tim.  1  :  13,  "I  did  it 
ignorantly  :"  here  is  a  cloak  or  covering,  an  extenuation  of 
the  sin  ;  but  knowledge  takes  away  tliis  cloak,  and  makes 
the  sin  appear  naked  in  all  its  odious  deformity. 

4.  Light  or  knowledge  of  the  law  and  will  of  God,  is  a 
very  choice  and  excellent  mercy ;  it  is  a  choice  and  singular 
favor,  for  God  to  make  the  light  of  knowledge  shine  into  a 
man's  understanding  ;  it  is  a  mercy  withheld  from  multi- 
tudes, Psa.  147  :  19,  and  those  who  enjoy  it  are  under  special 
engagements  to  bless  God  for  it,  and  to  improve  it  diligently 
and  thankfully  to  his  service  and  glory  :  but  for  a  man  to 
arm  such  a  mercy  as  this  against  God,  to  fight  against  him 
with  one  of  his  choicest  mercies,  this  must  be  highly  pro- 
voking to  the  Lord ;  it  is  therefore  mentioned  as  a  high 
aggravation  of  Solomon's  sm,  that  he  smned  against  the 
Lord,  after  the  Lord  had  appeared  unto  him  twice.  1  Kings, 
11  :  9. 

5.  This  way  of  sinning  argues  an  extraordinary  degree 
of  hardness  of  heart ;  it  is  a  sign  of  but  little  tenderness, 
or  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin.  Some  men,  when  God  shows 
them  the  evil  of  sin  in  the  glass  of  the  law,  tremble  at  the 
sight  of  it ;  so  did  Paul :  "  When  the  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  I  died,"  Rom.  7  :  9,  he  sunk  down  at  the 
sight  of  it.  But  God  shows  thee  the  evil  of  sin  in  the  glass 
of   his  law,   and  thou  makest   nothing  of  it :    0  obdurate 


378  CHUIST  KNOCKIN&  AT   THE   DOOR. 

heart  I  "VYlieii  the  rod  was  turned  into  a  serpent  Moses  fled 
from  it,  being  afraid  to  touch  it ;  but  though  God  turn  the 
rod  into  a  serpent,  and  discover  the  venomous  nature  of  sin 
in  his  word,  thou  canst  handle  and  play  with  that  serpent, 
and  put  it  into  thy  bosom  :  this  shows  thy  heart  to  be  awfully 
infatuated. 

6.  To  go  against  this  convincing,  warning  voice,  icounds, 
a  man's,  conscience  more  than  any  other  way  of  sinning 
doth  ;  and  when  conscience  is  so  wounded,  who  or  what 
shall  then  comfort  thee  ?  It  is  a  true  rule,  the  more  any  sin 
violates  a  man's  conscience,  the  greater  that  sin  is.  The  sin 
of  devils  is  the  most  dreadful  sin  ;  and  what  makes  it  so, 
but  the  horrid  violation  of  their  consciences,  and  their  ma- 
licious rebellion  against  clear  knowledge  ?  They  know  and 
sin,  they  believe  and  tremble,  Jas.  2:19;  they  roar  under 
the  tortures  of  conscience  like  the  roar  of  the  sea,  or  the 
noise  of  the  rocks  before  a  storm. 

0  then,  if  there  be  any  degree  of  tenderness  left  in  you, 
if  any  fear  of  God  or  regard  for  salvation,  let  go  all  God's 
prisoners  which  lie  bound  and  imprisoned  in  the  souls  of  any 
of  you  this  day.  Blessed  be  God,  some  have  done  so,  and 
are  at  rest  in  their  spirits  by  so  doing  ;  they  could  have  no 
ease  till  they  unbound  and  yielded  obedience  to  them.  It  is 
said,  Acts  16  :  38,  that  when  the  magistrates  at  Philippi 
understood  that  the  men  whom  they  had  bound  and  im- 
prisoned were  Romans,  they  feared ;  and  well  they  might, 
for  the  punishment  was  great  for  any  man  who  injured  a 
citizen  or  freeman  of  Rome ;  but  every  conviction  you 
imprison  is  a  messenger  of  heaven,  a  commissioned  officer 
of  God,  and  woe  to  him  that  binds  or  abuses  it.  Do  you 
know  what  you  do  ?  Are  you  aware  of  the  danger  ?  Wast 
•thou  not  afraid,  asked  David  of  the  Amalekite,  to  stretch 
forth  thine  hand  to  destroy  the  Lord's  anointed  ?  2  Sam. 
1  :  14.  So  say  I,  Art  thou  not  afraid  to  destroy  the  imme- 
diate messenger  of  God,  sent  to  thy  soul  for  good  ?     Con- 


THE   SIN   OF   STIFLING  CONVICTION.  379 

victioii  is  a  kind  of  embryo  of  conversion  ;  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  thy  soul  would  be  the  result,  were  it 
obeyed  :  thy  striving  with  it  renders  it  abortive,  and  thy  life 
must  go  for  it,  except.  God  revive  it  again.  Loose  then 
every  man  the  Lord's  prisoners — I  mean,  your  restrained, 
stifled  convictions — stifle  them  no  longer ;  you  see  what  a 
dreadful  aggravation  of  sin  it  is,  and  that  "  the  wrath  of 
God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and 
unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteous- 
ness." 

Inference  1.  This  will  prove  a  fruitful  doctrine  to 
inform  us,  first,  that  knoivledge  in  itself  is  not  enough  to 
secure  the  soul  of  any  man  from  hell.  No  gifts,  no  know- 
ledge but  that  only  which  is  influential  upon  the  heart  and 
life,  and  to  which  we  pay  obedience,  can  secure  any  man 
from  wrath  :  "If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if 
ye  do  them."  John.  13  :  17.  The  greatest  sins  ma,y  be 
found  in  conjunction  with  the  greatest  knowledge,  as  you 
see  in  the  fallen  angels  :  light  is  then  only  a  blessing  when 
it  guides  the  soul  into  the  way  of  duty  and  obedience  :  there 
is  many  a  knowing  head  in  hell.-  Yet  let  no  man  indulge 
himself  in  ignorance,  or  shun  the  means  of  knowledge,  that 
he  may  sin  with  less  danger  ;  for  you  must  account  to  God 
for  all  the  knowledge  you  might  have  had,  as  well  as  for 
that  you  possessed — for  the  means  of  knowledge  he  gave 
you,  as  well  as  for  the  knowledge  you  actually  attained. 

2.  Wliat  a  choice  mercy  is  a  tender  conscience — a  con- 
science yielding  obedience  to  conviction.  A  drop  of  such 
tenderness  in  the  conscience  is  better  than  a  sea  of  specula- 
tive knowledge  in  the  head.  1  Cor.  12  :  31.  Many  Chris- 
tians are  ashamed  to  see  themselves  excelled  by  others  in 
gifts,  and  are  apt  to  be  discouraged  ;  but  if  God  has  blessed 
thee  with  a  tender  heart,  obedient  to  his  will,  so  far  as  he  is 
pleased  to  manifest  it  to  thee,  thou  hast  no  reason  to  be  dis- 
couraged for  want  of  those  gifts  which  others  enjoy.     You 


380  CHUIST   KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOE.. 

cannot  discourse  floridly  or  dispute  subtlely,  but  do  you  obey 
conscientiously,  and  comply  with  the  manifested  will  of  God 
tenderly  ?  Then  happy  art  thou.  0,  it  is  far  better  to  feel 
a  truth  than  merely  to  know  it.  It  was  the  high  commen- 
dation of  the  Romans,  that  they  obeyed  from  the  heart  the 
form  of  gospel  doctrine  which  was  delivered  them,  Rom. 
6  :  17,  or  rather  into  which  they  were  delivered,  as  melted 
metals  into  moulds.  Two  learned  divines  travelling  to  the 
council  of  Constance  were  affected  even  to  tears  at  the  sight 
of  a  shepherd  in  the  fields,  mourning  and  melting  at  the  sight 
of  a  toad,  and  blessmg  God  that  he  had  not  made  him  such 
a  loathsome  creature  ;  whereupon  they  applied  Augustine's 
words  to  themselves  :  *'  The  unlearned  will  rise  and  take 
heaven  from  the  learned."  Thy  little  knowledge  made 
effectual  by  obedience,  is  more  sanctified,  more  sweet,  and 
more  saving  than  other  men's,  and  therefore  of  much  greater 
value.  It  is  more  sanctified  ;  for  the  l^lessing  of  God  is  upon 
it.  Gal.  6:16.  It  is  more  sweet ;  for  you  relish  the  good- 
ness, as  well  as  discern  the  truth  of  gospel  doctrines.  Psa. 
119  :  103.  It  is  not  an  insipid,  dry  speculation.  And  then 
it  is  more  saving,  being  one  of  those  better  things  that  accom- 
pany salvation.     Heb.  6:9. 

3.  .Learn  hence  tvhat  an  uncomfortable  life  intelligent, 
but  unregenerate  men  live :  they  are  frequently  at  war  with 
their  own  consciences.  "There  is  no  peace,  saith  the  Lord, 
to  the  wicked."  Isa.  48  :  22.  They  and  their  consciences 
are  ever  and  anon  at  daggers ;  they  have  little  pleasure  in. 
sin,  and  none  at  all  in  religion  :  they  have  none  in  religion, 
because  they  obey  not  its  rules  ;  and  little  in  sin,  because 
their  consciences  are  still  galling  and  terrifying  them  for 
imprisoning  their  convictions. 

It  is  true,  some  men's  consciences  are  seared  as  with  a 
hot  iron,  1  Tim.  4:2;  but  most  have  grumbling,  and  some 
have  raging  and  roaring  consciences  :  they  seldom  come 
under  the  word  or  rod,  but  their  consciences  lash  them ; 


THE   SIN   OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  381 

and  when  death  approaches,  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty  do 
shake  and  terrify  them.  Altogether  to  neglect  duty  they 
dare  not,  and  how  to  escape  a  lash  from  their  consciences 
they  know  not.  Fain  they  would  have  the  pleasures  of  sin, 
but,  like  Balaam,  they  meet  a  sword  in  the  way  ;  they 
plunge  themselves  into  diversions  like  Cain,  to  be  rid  of  a 
fury  within  them ;  but  all  will  not  do.  Is  this  a  life  for  thee, 
reader,  to  live?  No  peace  with  God  nor  with  thyself? 
Expect  no  peace  while  thy  convictions  lie  bound  and  im- 
prisoned in  thy  conscience.  Sin  for  a  moment  is  sweet  in 
thy  mouth,  but  it  is  presently  turned  into  the  gall  of  asps 
within  thee.  Job  20  :  14.  0  that  you  did  but  know  the 
pleasures  of  a  pure,  peaceable  conscience,  and  how  much  it 
excels  all  the  delights  of  sense  and  sin. 

4.  Ministers  had  need  often  to  repeat  and  incidcate 
the  same  truths  to  their  hearers;  for  the  ivork  is  not  half 
done,  when  truth  is  got  into  the  minds  and  consciences  of 
men.  Our  work  sticks  at  the  heart  more  than  at  the  head ; 
the  understanding  is  many  times  opened,  when  the  heart  and 
will  are  locked  and  fast  barred  against  it.  To  open  the 
passages  between  the  head  and  heart  is  the  greatest  diffi- 
culty ;  this  is  the  work  of  almighty  power.  There  is  know- 
ledge enough  in  some  men's  heads  to  save  them,  but  it  has 
not  its  liberty ;  restrained  truth  cannot  do  its  office.  It  is 
much  easier  to  convince  the  mind  than  to  change  the  heart 
or  bow  the  will.  The  hardest  part  of  the  ministerial  work 
is  to  preach  truth  into  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  This 
makes  the  frequent  inculcation  of  the  same  truths  necessary 
to  the  people's  souls.  "  To  write  the  same  things  to  you,  to 
me  indeed  is  not  grievous,  but  for  you  it  is  safe."    Phil.  3:1. 

5.  How  wonderful  is  the  strength  of  sin,  which  can, 
hold  men  fast  after  their  eyes  are  opened  to  see  the  misery 
and  danger  it  has  involved  them  in.  One  would  think  if 
a  man's  eyes  were  but  once  opened  to  see  the  moral  evil  that 
is  in  sin,  and  the  everlasting  train  of  penal  evils  that  follow 


382  CHRIST   KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOE.. 

it,  together  with  a  way  of  escape  from  both,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  hold  that  simier  a  day  longer  in  such  a  state 
of  bondage  :  the  work  were  then  as  good  as  done.  But  alas, 
we  are  mistaken;  sin  can  hold  those  fast  who  see  all  this. 
They  know  it  is  a  horrid  violation  of  God's  just  and  holy 
laws  ;  they  know  it  brings  them  under  his  wrath  and  curse, 
and  will  damn  them  to  all  eternity  if  they  continue  in  it ; 
they  know  Christ  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that 
come  unto  God  by  him,  and  that  he  is  as  willing  as  he  is 
able  ;  and  yet  no  arguments  can  prevail  with  them  to  part 
with  sin.  Show  but  a  beast  a  flame  of  fire,  and  you  cannot 
drive,  him  into  it  if  he  see  any  way  of  escape.  Tell  a  man 
this  is  rank  poison  and  will  kill  him,  and  you  cannot  make 
him  swallow  it  though  wrapt  up  in  sugar,  or  put  into  the 
most  pleasant  sweetmeats.  But  let  a  sinner  see  death  and 
destruction  before  him,  and  sin  can  make  him  rush  on,  as  a 
horse  into  the  battle.  Jer.  8:6,  He  goes  as  an  ox  to  the 
slaughter ;  his  heart  is  fully  set  in  him  to  do  evil,  Eccl.  8:11; 
as  one,  when  his  physician  told  him  if  he  followed  such  a 
course  of  sin  he  would  in  a  little  time  lose  his  eyes,  said,  Fare- 
well, then,  sweet  light :  I  cannot  part  with  this  practice. 
So  with  sinners  :  rather  than  forego  their  pleasures  and  break 
their  customs  in  sin,  farewell  heaven,  Christ,  and  all.  0  the 
bewitching  power  of  sin.  "  And  they  said,  there  is  no  hope, 
but  we  will  walk  after  our  own  devices."  Jer.  18  :  12. 
"When  a  man  considers  what  visions  of  misery  and  wrath 
convictions  give  men,  he  may  wonder  that  all  convinced 
men  are  not  converted  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  when  he 
considers  the  strong  hold  sin  has  upon  the  hearts  of  sinners, 
it  may  justly  seem  a  wonder  that  any  are  converted. 

6.  Hoiv  dreadful  is  the  state  of  ajiostatcs  tvlio  have  had 
their  eyes  opened,  their  consciences  aicakened,  their  resolu- 
tions for  Christ  seemingly  fixed ;  and  yet,  after' all  this, 
return  to  their  former  course  of  sin.  You  see,  brethren,  sin 
has  not  only  power  to  hold  men  in  bondage  to  its  lusts  after 


their  eyes  have  been  opened,  but  it  has  power  to  entice  back 
those  who  seemed  to  have  clean  escaped  out  of  its  hands. 
2  Pet.  2:18,  19.  The  unclean  spirit  may  depart  for  a  time, 
and  make  his  reentry  into  the  same  soul  with  seven  spirits 
worse  than  himself.  Matt.  12  :  43—45.  Restraints  by  con- 
viction and  formality  do  not  wholly  dispossess  Satan,  he  still 
keeps  his  property  in  the  soul,  for  he  calls  it  "my  house  ;" 
and  that  property  which  he  keeps  under  all  these  convictions 
and  partial  reformations,  opens  to  him  and  all  his  hellish 
retinue  a  door  for  his  return.  But  0  how  awful  will  the 
end  of  such  men  be  ;  and  how  just  is  that  law  of  heaven 
which  dooms  the  apostate  to  eternal  wrath  I  Heb.  10  :  38. 
Such  are  twice  dead,  and  will  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots. 
Jude  12. 

7.  How  sure  mid  dreadful  ivill  be  tlie  condemnation  of 
all  those,  in  the  day  of  the  Lord,  ivho  obstinately  continue 
in  sin,  under  the  convictions  and  co7ideni7iatio7is  of  their 
oivn  consciences.  Unhappy  men,  you  are  condemned  already, 
John  3  :  18  ;  condemned  by  the  law  of  God  and  by  the  sen- 
tence of  your  own  consciences.  What  your  own  conscience 
says  according  to  God's  law,  he  will  confirm  and  make  good. 
"  If  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our  heart, 
and  knoweth  all  things."  1  John,  3:20.  His  sentence 
will  be  as  clear  as  it  will  be  terrible  ;  for  in  the  last  day  the 
books  will  be  opened — the  book  of  God's  omniscience,  and  the 
book  of  thine  own  conscience.  The  book  of  conscience  is  as 
it  were  a  transcript  or  counterpart  of  God's  book  for  thee  to 
keep  in  thine  o\\ai  bosom.  When  God's  book  and  thy  own 
shall  be  compared  and  found  exactly  to  agree,  there  can  be. 
no  further  dispute  of  the  equity  of  the  account.  Then  God 
shall  charge  thee,  saying,  "Thou  knewest  this  and  that  to  be 
sin,  and  yet  thy  lusts  hurried  thee  on  to  commit  it ;  is  it  not 
so  ?  look,  sinner,  into  thine  own  book,  and  see  if  thy  con- 
science has  not  so  charged  it  to  thy  account.  Thou  knewest 
prayer  was  thy  duty  when  thou  neglectedst  it ;  and  over- 


384  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

reaching  tlie  ignorant,  credulous,  and  unwary  was  thy  sin 
when  the  love  of  gain  tempted  thee  to  it.  You  knew  I  had 
plainly  told  you  that  theft,  nncleanness,  drunkenness,  and 
extortion  would  bar  you  out  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of 
God,  1  Cor.  6:9,10;  and  yet,  putting  that  to  the  venture,  you 
have  lived  in  those  sins  ;  is  it  not  so  ?  Examine  the  book 
in  your  own  bosom,  and  see."  The  Lord  make  men  sensible 
of  coming  wrath  for  the  sins  they  live  in  under  light ;  for 
the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  them. 

Is  the  wrath  of  God  revealed  from  heaven  against  all 
who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness  ?  Then  let  me  exhort 
and  persuade  you  by  all  the  regard  and  love  you  have  for 
your  souls,  by  all  the  fears  you  have  of  the  incensed  wrath 
of  the  great  and  terrible  God,  that  you  forthv/ith  set  your 
convictions  at  liberty,  and  loose  all  the  Lord's  prisoners  that 
lie  bound  within  you  :  "  Because  there  is  wrath,  beware." 
Job  36  :  18.  0  stifle  the  voice  of  your  conscience  no  more, 
slight  not  the  softest  whisper  or  least  intimation  of  con- 
science ;  reverence  and  obey  its  voice.  Motives  pressing 
and  persuading  this,  are  many  ;  yet  estimate  them  by  weight 
rather  than  by  number. 

Motive  1.  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven 
against  them  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness  ;  and 
because  there  is  tcrath,  beware.  Are  you  truly  informed 
what  the  wrath  of  God  is  ?  "  Who  knoweth  the  power  of 
thine  anger  ?  even  according  to  thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath." 
Psalm  90  :  11.  0,  if  the  wrath  of  a  king,  who  in  all  his 
glory  is  but  a  worm,  be  as  the  roaring  of  a  lion,  and  as  the 
messengers  of  death,  Prov.  20  :  2  ;  16:14;  what  then  is  the 
power  of  His  wrath,  at  whose  fro\\^lS  the  kings  of  the  earth 
tremble,  and  the  captains  and  the  mighty  men  shrink  away  ? 
If  the  lesser  executions  of  it  by  providence  in  this  world  be 
so  dreadful  that  even  good  men  have  desired  a  hiding-place 
in  the  grave  till  it  be  past.  Job  14  :  13  ;  then  what  is  the 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLING  CONVICTION.  385 

full  execution  thereof  upon  the  ungodly  in  the  place  of  tor- 
ment ?  If  the  threats  and  denunciations  of  it  against  others 
made  Habakkuk,  though  assured  of  personal  safety,  to  quiver 
with  his  lips  and  tremble  in  his  bowels,  Hab.  3:16;  how 
much  more  should  those  tremble  and  quiver  who  are  to  be 
the  subject  of  it,  and  not  the  mere  heralds  of  it  as  he  was  ? 
And,  which  is  more  than  all,  if  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  to 
feel  it  but  a  few  hours,  and  had  the  power  of  the  Godhead 
to  support  him  under  it,  did,  notwithstanding,  sweat  as  it 
were  great  drops  of  blood,  and  was  sore  amazed  ;  think  with 
thyself,  poor  man,  how  shall  thy  heart  endure,  or  thy  hands 
be  strong,  when  thou  hast  to  do  with  an  incensed  God  ? 

Motive  2.  Till  you  set  free  ymir  co?ivictions,  Satan 
will  not  let  you  go ;  he  binds  you  while  you  bind  them. 
Here  is  the  command  of  God  and  the  command  of  Satan  in. 
competition.  Let  my  truths  go  free,  which  thou  boldest  in 
unrighteousness,  says  Jehovah ;  bind  and  suppress  them, 
says  Satan,  or  they  will  deprive  thee  of  the  liberty  and  pleas- 
ure of  thy  life.  While  thou  slightest  the  voice  of  God  and 
conscience,  dost  thou  not  avowedly  declare  thyself  the  bond- 
slave of  Satan  ?  "His  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  obey." 
Rom.  6:16.  Dare  not  to  take  one  step  further  in  the  way 
of  known  sin,  says  conscience  ;  continue  not  at  thy  peril  in 
such  a  dangerous  state,  after  I  have  so  clearly  convinced  and 
warned  thee  of  it.  Fear  not,  says  Satan,  if  it  be  ill  with 
thee,  it  will  be  as  ill  with  millions.  God  will  wound  the 
heads  of  such  as  go  on  in  their  trespasses,  says  the  Scripture. 
Psalm  68  :  21.  Tush,  others  do  so,  and  escape  as  well  as 
the  most  scrupulous,  says  Satan.  Now,  I  say,  thy  obedi- 
ence to  Satan's  commands  plainly  declares  thee,  all  this 
while,  to  be  a  poor  enslaved  captive  to  him,  acted  on  and 
carried  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the 
spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience. 

Motive  3.  Until  y<ni  obey  ijour  convictions,  you  are  con- 
federates with  Satan  in  a  desperate  plot  against  your  own 

Christ    Knocking.  17 


386  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

souls ;  you  join  with  Christ's  great  and  avowed  enemy  to 
dishonor  him  and  destroy  yourselves.  Two  things  make  you 
confederates  with  Satan  against  your  own  souls.  First,  your 
consent  to  this  project  for  your  damnation  ;  for  so  your  own 
conscience  out  of  the  Scriptures  informs  you  it  is  :  consent 
makes  you  a  party.  Second,  your  concealment  of  this  plot 
brings  you  in  as  a  party  with  him.  Confess  thy  sin,  and 
bewail  it,  says  conscience :  not  so,  says  pride  and  shame  ; 
how  shall  I  look  men  in  the  face  if  I  do  so  ?  Do  not  you,  in 
all  this,  believe  Satan  and  make  God  a  liar  ?  Do  not  you 
act  as  men  that  hate  their  own  souls,  and  love  death  ?  Prov. 
8  :  36.  0  it  is  a  dreadful  thing  for  men  to  be  accessory  to 
their  own  eternal  ruin,  and  that  after  fair  warning  and 
notice  given  them  by  their  own  conscience.  Satan,  be  his 
power  what  it  will,  cannot  destroy  you  without  your  own 
consent. 

Motive  4.  While  you  go  on  stiflmg  co7ivictions,  and 
turning  aivay  your  ears  from  calls  to  repentance,  you  can- 
not he  'pardoned ;  you  are  in  your  sins,  and  the  guilt  of  them 
all  lies  at  your  door.  You  see  what  the  terms  of  remission 
are  :  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will 
abundantly  pardon."  Isa.  ^^  :  7.  So  again,  "  He  that  cov- 
ereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper  :  but  whoso  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  them,  shall  have  mercy."  Prov.  28  :  13.  You 
see  by  these,  and  many  miore  plain  scripture  testimonies, 
that  there  can  be  no  hope  of  remission  while  you  go  on  in 
this  path  of  rebellion  ;  concealing,  yea,  and  persisting  in 
your  known  wickedness.  There  is  a  necessary  and  insepa- 
rable connection  between  repentance  and  remission.  Acts 
5:31,  and  Luke  24  :  47  ;  and  can  you  endure  to  have  guilt 
your  companion  during  life  and  for  ever  ? 

Motive  5.  You  can  never  have  peace  ivith  conscience 
while  you  keep  convictions  prisoners.     A  man's  conscience 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  387 

is  his  best  friend  or  his  worst  enemy ;  thence  are  the  sweet- 
est comforts,  and  thence  are  the  bitterest  sorrows.  It  is  a 
dreadful  thing  for  a  man  to  He  wdth  a  cold  sweating  horror 
upon  his  panting  bosom.  And  this,  or  which  is  worse,  obdu- 
racy and  stupidity  must  be  the  case  of  them  who  hold  the 
truth  in  unrighteousness.  There  can  be  no  sounding  a 
retreat  to  these  terrors  till  Sheba's  head  be  thrown  over  the 
walls  ;  I  mean,  till  that  sin  which  your  conscience  convinces 
you  of,  be  delivered  up.  As  Israel  could  have  no  peace  till 
Achan  was  destroyed  ;  so  thou  shalt  have  no  peace  while 
thy  sin  is  covered  and  hid.  Men  may  cry  peace,  peace,  to 
themselves  while  they  continue  in  sin,  Deut.  29  :  19,  but  the 
sharpest  troubles  of  conscience  are  better  than  such  peace. 
Deliver  up  thyself,  if  thou  love  peace,  into  the  hands  of  thy 
own  convictions,  and  thou  art  in  the  true  way  to  peace. 
Thy  rejoicing  must  be  in  the  testimony  of  thy  conscience,  as 
the  apostle  speaks,  2  Cor.  1  :  12,  or  thou  rejoicest  in  a  dream, 
in  a  delusion,  in  a  thing  of  naught. 

Motive  6.  What  dreadful  charges  are  you  likely  to 
meet  with  on  your  death-beds  on  account  of  the  si?ts  you 
have  lived  in,  against  knowledge  and  conviction.  Con- 
science is  never  more  active  and  vigorous  than  in  the  last 
hours  and  moments  of  life.  Now  it  will  be  stifled  and  over- 
ruled no  longer.  It  whispered  before,  but  now  it  thunders. 
If  a  man  has  a  clear  and  quiet  conscience,  his  evening  is 
clear  and  his  sun  sets  without  clouds  :  "  The  end  of  that 
man  is  peace."  Psalm  37  :  37.  In  contemplation  of  this 
felicity,  Balaam  uttered  that  wish,  "  Let  my  last  end  be  like 
his."  Num.  23  :  10.  This  peace  is  the  result  of  a  man's 
obedience  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  this  being  the  evidence  we 
can  most  safely  rely  upon  of  our  interest  in  Christ ;  but  the 
result  of  such  violations  and  abuses  of  thy  conscience  cannot 
be  peace  to  thy  soul.  It  is  true,  some  wicked  men  die  in 
seeming  peace,  and  some  good  men  in  trouble,  but  both  the 
one  and  the  other  are  mistaken :  the  first,  as  to  the  good 


388  CHRIST  KNOCKINa  AT  THE  DOOH. 

estate  he  fancies  himself  in,  and  the  other  as  to  his  bad 
estate ;  and  a  few  moments  will  clear  up  the  mistake  of 
each. 

Motive  7.  Obedience  to  conviction  wall  not  only  produce 
peace  at  death,  but  will  give  you  present  ease  and  refresh- 
ment.  No  sooner  did  David  resolve  to  obey  the  voice  of  con- 
science in  confessing  his  sin,  but  he  had  ease  in  his  spirit, 
Psa.  32:  5.  "The  work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace; 
and  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness  and  assurance  for 
ever."  Isa.  32  :  17.  On  the  contrary,  you  find  wicked  men 
have  no  rest  in  their  conscience,  Job  20  :  20 ;  for  guilt  lies 
working  there  as  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  And  what  is  life 
worth  without  ease  ?  To  live  ever  in  pain,  to  live  upon  the 
rack,  is  not  to  live.  If,  then,  you  love  ease  and  quietness,  obey 
your  conscience ;  pull  out  that  thorn — I  mean,  the  sin  that 
sticks  fast  in  thy  soul,  and  pains  thy  conscience.  Who 
would  endure  so  much  anguish  for  all  the  flattering  pleas- 
ures of  sin  ? 

Motive  8.  Convictions  obeyed  are  the  inlets  to  Christ 
and  eternal  salvation  by  him ;  they  are  the  leading  of  the 
Spirit,  in  order  to  union  with  Christ.  John  16  :  14.  Till 
you  obey  and  yield  up  yourselves  to  them,  Christ  is  shut 
out  of  your  souls;  he  knocks,  but  finds  no  entrance.  At 
your  peril,  therefore,  be  obedient  to  their  calls.  "While  you 
parley  with  your  convictions,  and  demur  to  their  demands, 
Christ  stands  without,  offering  himself  graciously  to  you,  but 
is  not  admitted  ;  so  that  no  less  than  your  eternal  happiness 
or  misery  depends  on  your  obedience  or  disobedience  to  the 
calls  of  your  convictions. 

Motive  9.  Obey  your  convictions,  honor  their  voice,  and 
restrain  them  not ;  the?i  shall  your  conscience  give  a  fair 
testimony  for  you  at  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.  You 
read  of  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God,  1  Pet. 
3  ;  21  ;  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  comfortable.  This 
gives  a  man  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment.     1  John,  4:17 


THE   Sm  OF  STIFLINO   CONVICTION.  389 

Believe  it,  sirs,  it  is  not  your  baptism,  your  church  privileges, 
or  the  opinion  men  have  of  you,  but  the  testimony  of  your 
conscience,  that  must  be  your  comfort.  I  know  men  are  not 
justified  at  God's  bar  by  their  own  obedience,  nor  by  any 
exactness  of  life ;  it  is  only  Christ's  righteousness  that  is  the 
sinner's  plea  ;  but  your  obedience  to  the  calls  of  God  and  con- 
science is  the  evidence  that  you  are  in  Christ. 

Motive  10.  Consider  what  a  choice  tnercy  it  is,  to  be 
under  such  calls  and  convictions  of  conscience  as  may  yet 
he  obeyed :  it  is  not  so  with  convictions  after  death.  Con- 
science convinces  in  hell  as  well  as  here,  but  all  its  convic- 
tions there  are  for  torment,  not  recovery.  0  it  is  a  choice 
mercy  that  your  convictions  are  yet  remedial,  not  purely 
penal — that  you  are  not  fixed  in  the  state  of  sin  and  misery 
as  the  damned  are,  but  yet  enjoy  the  benefit  of  your  convic- 
tions; but  this  you  will  not  enjoy  long;  therefore  I  beseech 
you,  by  all  that  is  dear  and  valuable  in  your  eyes,  reverence 
your  conscience,  and  set  free  the  Lord's  prisoners  which  lie 
bound  within  you. 

I  now  come  to  expostulate  the  matter  with  your  con- 
sciences, and  propound  a  few  convictive  queries  to  your  souls. 
I  am  afraid  there  are  many  in  this  wretched  case,  who  hold 
the  truths  of  God  in  unrighteousness,  though  the  wrath  of 
God  be  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  them  that  do  so. 
Let  me  set  before  you  some  of  God's  demands. 

Demand  1.  Do  not  some  of  you  stand  convinced  by 
your  own  consciences  this  day,  that  your  hearts  and  prac- 
tices are  vastly  different  from  those  of  the  people  of  God 
among  whom  you  live,  and  whose  character  you  read  in 
Scripture  ?  Do  not  your  consciences  tell  you,  that  you  never 
took  the  pains  for  your  salvation  you  see  them  take  ;  that 
there  are  some  in  your  families,  nay,  possibly  in  your  bosoms, 
who  are  serious  and  heavenly,  while  you  are  vain  and 
earthly — who  are  on  their  knees  wrestling  with  God,  while 


390  CHP.IST  KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOR. 

you  are  about  the  things  of  the  world  ?  And  does  not  con- 
science sometimes  whisper  thus  into  thine  ear  :  Soul,  thou  art 
not  right ;  something  is  wanting  to  make -thee  a  Christian  ; 
thou  wantest  that  which  others  have  ;  and  except  something 
further  be  done  within  thee,  thou  wilt  be  undone  for  ever  ? 
If  it  be  so,  let  me  advise  thee  to  hearken  diligently  to  this 
voice  of  conscience  ;  do  not  venture  to  the  judgment-seat  of 
God  in  such  a  case  :  ponder  that  text,  Matt.  21  :  32,  "  For 
John  came  unto  you  in  the  M^ay  of  righteousness,  and  ye  be- 
lieved him  not :  but  the  pubhcans  and  the  harlots  believed 
him ;  and  ye,  when  ye  had  seen  it,  repented  not  afterward, 
that  ye  might  believe  him  ;"  and  let  the  disparity  your 
conscience  shows  you  between  your  ovra.  course  and  that  of 
others,  awaken  you  to  more  diligence  and  seriousness  about 
your  own  salvation.  How  canst  thou  come  from  the  tavern, 
or  thy  vain  recreations,  and  find  a  wife  or  child  in  prayer, 
and  thy  conscience  not  smite  thee  ?  It  may  be,  they  have 
been  mourning  for  thy  sins  wdiile  thou  hast  been  committmg 
them.  Perhaps  there  lives  not  far  from  thee  a  godly  poor 
man,  who  out  of  his  hard  and  pressing  labors  redeems  more 
time  for  his  soul  in  a  w^eek,  than  ever  thou  didst  in  thy  life. 
0  hearken  to  the  voice  of  thy  conscience,  else  thou  art  he 
that  boldest  truth  in  unrighteousness. 

Demand  2.  Did  thy  conscie7tce  never  meet  thee  in  the 
icay  of  sin,  as  the  angel  of  the  Lord  met  Balaam  with  a 
drawn  sword,  brandishing  the  threatenings  of  God  against 
thee  ?  Did  it  not  say  to  thee,  as  a  captain  once  said  to  his 
soldiers  about  to  retreat,  casting  himself  down  in  their  way, 
"  If  you  go  this  way  you  shall  go  over  your  captain,  you 
shall  trample  him  first  under  your  feet  ?"  "  Stop,  soul,  stop  1" 
said  thy  conscience  ;  '*  this  and  that  word  of  God  is  against 
thee  ;  if  thou  proceed,  thou  must  trample  upon  the  sover- 
eign authority  of  God,  in  this  or  that  command."  Yet  thy 
impetuous  lusts  have  hurried  thee  forward :  thou  wouldst  not 
fairly  debate  the  case  with  thy  conscience ;  and  then  did  not 


THE   SIN   OF   STIFLING  CONVICTION.  391 

tli}^  conscience  say  to  thee,  as  Heuben  did  to  his  brethren, 
"  fcjpake  I  not  unto  you,  saying,  Do  not  sin  against  the  child  ; 
and  ye  would  not  hear  ?  therefore  behold  also  his  blood  is 
required."  Gen.  42  :  22.  If  this  has  been  your  course  of 
sinning,  verily  you  are  the  persons  that  have  held  the  truth 
of  God  in  unrighteousness,  and  against  you  the  wrath  of  God 
is  revealed  from  heaven. 

Demand  3.  Have  you  not  seen  the  wrath  of  God  re- 
vealed from  heaven  against  other  sinners  ivho  have  gone 
before  you  in  the  same  course  of  sin  in  which  you  now  go  ? 
and  yet  you  persist  in  it,  notwithstanding  such  dreadful 
warnings.  Thus  did  Belshazzar,  though  he  saw  all  that 
the  God  of  heaven  had  done  to  his  father.  Dan.  5 :  20-22, 
You  have  seen  great  estates  scattered,  and  their  owners  that 
got  them  by  fraud  and  oppression  reduced  to  beggary  ;  yet 
when  a  temptation  is  before  you,  you  cannot  forbear  to  take 
the  advantage,  as  you  call  it,  to  get  the  gain  of  oppression. 
You  have  seen  drunkards  clothed  with  rags,  and  brought  to 
miserable  ends — adulterers  severely  punished,  their  names 
and  estates,  souls  and  bodies  blasted,  and  wasted  by  a  secret, 
but  just  stroke  of  God.  Have  you  taken  w^arning  by  these 
strokes  of  God,  and  hearkened  to  the  monitions  and  cautions 
your  consciences  have  thereupon  given  you  ?  If  not,  thou 
art  the  man  who  boldest  the  truth  of  God  in  unrighteous- 
ness. 

Demand  4.  Do  7iot  your  hearts  rise  against  necessary 
and  due  reproofs  given  you  by  tlwse  tvho  love  your  souls 
better  than  you  do  ?  If  you  hate  a  faithful  reprover,  though 
you  know  you  are  guilty  of  the  sin  he  reproves — if  you  re- 
criminate or  deny  in  such  cases,  you  are  certainly  so  far  con- 
federate with  Satan  against  your  own  soul,  and  imprison 
your  own  convictions. 

Demand  5.  Have  not  some  of  you  apostatized  from 
your  first  profession,  and  are  not  those  hopeful  blossoms 
which  once  appeared  upon  your  souls  blighted  and  gone  ? 


392  CHRIST   KNOCKING-  AT   THE   DOOR. 

You  had  lively  convictions  and  melting  affections,  tenderness 
in  your  conscience  and  zeal  for  duties  ;  but  all  is  now  van- 
ished ;  your  affections  are  cold  and  your  duties  are  omitted, 
though  conscience  often  bids  you  remember  from  whence 
you  are  fallen,  and  do  your  first  works.  You  are  the  persons 
guilty  of  this  sin. 

Demand  6.  Do  none  of  you  iwe^ume  upon  future  re- 
pen^ance,  and  make  bold  with  your  conscience  for  the  pres- 
ent, thinking  thus  to  compound  with  it  ?  This  argues  thee 
to  be  a  self- condemned  man,  and  one  holding  truth  in  un- 
righteousness :  thy  sin  is  present  and  certain,  thy  repentance 
but  a  peradventure.  2  Tim.  2 :  25.  This  is  a  daring  way 
of  presumptuous  sinning. 

Demand  7.  Have  7ione  of  you  taken  the  voivs  of  God 
wpon  you  to  break  off  your  iniquities  by  repentance,  when 
you  have  been  in  dangerous  sickness  on  shore,  or  dreadful 
tempests  at  sea  ?  Have  you  not  said,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt  but 
spare  me  this  once,  I  will  never  live  in  the  way  I  have  lived 
any  more :  try  me,  0  Lord,  this  once  ;  and  yet,  when  that 
affliction  has  vanished,  your  purposes  and  promises  to  God 
have  vanished  with  it :  you  are  the  persons  that  hold  the 
known  truths  of  God  prisoners  in  your  souls.  And  to  all 
these  seven  sorts  of  sinners,  this  text  may  justly  be  as  the 
handwriting  upon  the  wall  once  was,  even  a  7nene  tekel 
that  may  make  thy  very  loins  to  shake.     Dan.  5  :  25-31. 

This  doctrine  furnishes  important  directions  for  the  pre- 
vention of  such  presumptuous  sins  in  men,  that  truth  may 
have  its  free  course  through  their  souls. 

Direction  1.  And  to  this  end  my  first  direction  is,  that 
you  fail  not  to  put  every  conviction  into  speedy  execution. 
Do  not  delay  ;  it  is  a  critical  hour,  and  delays  are  exceedingly 
hazardous.  Convictions  are  fixed  and  secured  in  men's  souls 
four  ways.  First,  by  deep  and  serious  consideration  :  "  I 
thought  on  my  ways,  and  turned  my  feet  unto  thy  testimo- 


THE   SIN  OF  STIFLINa  CONYICTION.  393 

nies."  Psalm  119  :  59.  Secondly,  by  earnest  prayer  :  thus 
Saul,  under  his  first  convictions,  fell  on  his  knees  :  "Behold, 
he  prayeth."  Acts  9:11.  The  breath  of  prayer  foments 
and  nourishes  the  sparks  of  conviction,  that  they  be  not  ex- 
tinct. Thirdly,  by  diligent  attendance  on  the  vv^ord.  The 
word  begets  conviction,  and  the  word  can  through  God's 
blessing  preserve  it.  Fourthly,  by  performing,  without  de- 
lay, the  duty  thou  art  convinced  of.  "  If  any  be  a  hearer  of 
the  word,  and  not  a  doer,  he  is  like  unto  a  man  beholding 
his  natural  face  in  a  glass ;  for  he  beholdeth  himself,  and 
goeth  his  way,  and  straightway  forgetteth  what  manner  of 
man  he  was."  James  1  :  23,  24.  Take  the  sense  thus  :  a 
man  looks  into  the  glass  in  the  morning,  and  perhaps  he  sees 
a  spot  on  his  face,  or  a  disorder  in  his  hair  or  clothes,  and 
thinks  with  himself,  I  will  rectify  it  anon  ;  but  being  gone 
from  the  place,  one  thing  or  other  diverts  his  mind,  he  forgets 
what  he  saw,  and  goes  all  the  day  with  the  spot  on  his  face, 
never  thinking  of  it  more.  0  brethren,  delays  are  dangerous, 
sin  is  deceitful,  Heb.  3  :  13  ;  Satan  is  subtle,  2  Cor.  11:3, 
and  in  this  way  he  gains  his  point.  This  motto  may  be 
written  on  the  tomb  of  most  that  perish:  "Here  lies  one 
that  was  destroyed  by  delays."  Your  life  is  uncertain,  so 
are  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit.  Besides,  there  is  a  mighty 
advantage  in  the  first  impulse  of  the  soul.  When  thy  heart 
is  once  up  in  warm  affections  and  resolutions,  the  work  may 
be  easily  done  ;  as  a  bell,  if  once  up,  goes  easily,  but  is  hard 
to  raise  when  down.  See,  in  2  Chron.  29  :  36,  what  advan- 
tage there  is  in  a  present  warm  frame.  Besides,  the  nature 
of  these  things  is  too  serious  and  weighty  to  be  postponed  and 
delayed.  You  cannot  get  out  of  the  danger  of  hell,  or  into 
Christ  too  soon.  Moreover,  every  repetition  of  sin  after  con- 
viction greatly  aggravates  it.  For  it  is  in  sinning  as  in  num- 
bering, if  the  first  be  one,  the  second  is  ten,  the  third  a  hun- 
dred, and  the  fourth  a  thousand.  And  to  conclude,  think 
what  you  w^ill,  you  can  never  have  a  fitter  season  than  the 


394  CHRIST  KKOCKINa  AT   THE   DOOR. 

present :  the  same  difficulties  you  have  to-day,  you  will  have 
to-morrow,  and  it  may  be  greater.  Begin  at  once,  therefore, 
to  execute  your  convictions. 

Direction  2.  If  you  w^ould  be  clear  from  this  great 
wickedness  of  holding  the  truth  in  unrighteousness,  see  that 
you  reverence  the  voice  and  authority  of  your  conscience ; 
and  resolve  with  Job,  "My  heart  shall  not  reproach  me  so 
long  as  I  live."  Job  27  :  6.  There  are  two  considerations 
fitted  to  beget  reverence  in  men  to  the  voice  of  their  con- 
sciences. 

(1.)  Conscience  obeyed  and  kept  picre  and  inviolate,  is 
thy  best  friend  on  earth.  "Our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testi- 
mony of  our  conscience."  2  Cor.  1:12.  The  very  heathen 
could  say,  "  A  good  conscience  is  a  wall  of  brass."  What 
comforted  Hezekiah  on  his  supposed  death-bed,  but  the  testi- 
mony his  conscience  gave  of  his  integrity?  2  Kings,  20  :  3. 
Solomon  says,  "  The  backslider  in  heart  shall  be  filled  with 
his  own  ways ;  and  a  good  man  shall  be  satisfied  from  him- 
self." Prov.  14:14.  Mark  the  opposition  ;  conscience  gives 
the  backslider  a  heart  full  of  sorrow,  while  the  heart  of  the 
upright  man  is  full  of  peace.  He  is  satisfied  from  himself, 
that  is,  from  his  owti  conscience,  which  though  it  be  not  the 
original  spring,  yet  is  the  conduit  at  which  he  drinks  peace, 
joy,  and  encouragement. 

(2.)  Co7iscie7ice  ivonnded  and  abused  ivill  be  our  tcorst 
enemy ;  no  poniards  are  so  mortal  as  the  wounds  of  con- 
science. "A  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear  ?"  Prov.  18  :  14. 
Could  Judas  bear  it,  or  could  Spira  bear  it  ?  What  is  the 
torment  of  hell,  but  the  worm  that  dies  not ;  and  what  is 
that  worm,  but  the  remorse  of  conscience  ?  Mark  9  :  44.  Oh, 
what  is  that  fearful  expectation  mentioned  by  the  apostle, 
Heb.  10  :  27  ;  and  what  sorrows  are  those  described,  Deut. 
28  :  Q5,  66.  The  primitive  Christians  chose  rather  to  be  cast 
to  the  lions  than  into  the  power  of  an  enraged  conscience. 
Every  little  trouble  will  be  insupportable  to  a  sick  and 


THE   SIN   OF   STIFLINa  CONVICTION.  395 

wounded  conscience,  as  a  quart  of  water  would  be  to  your 
shoulder  in  a  great  vessel  of  lead. 

Oh,  if  men  did  but  fear  their  own  consciences,  if  they 
reverenced  themselves,  as  the  moralist  speaks,  if  they  exer- 
cised themselves  to  have  always  a  conscience  void  of  ofience, 
as  Paul  did,  Acts  24:  16,  then  would  they  be  clear  of  this 
great  sin  of  holding  the  truth  in  unrighteousness. 

Direction  3.  If  you  would  escape  the  guilt  and  danger 
of  holding  God's  truth  in  unrighteousness,  keep  you?-  hearts 
under  the  aivful  sense  of  the  day  of  judgtnent,  when  every 
secret  thing  must  come  into  judgment,  and  conscience  like  a 
register-book  is  to  be  opened  and  examined.  The  considera- 
tion of  that  day  gives  your  conscience  a  seven-fold  defence 
against  sin.  First,  it  incites  every  man  to  get  real,  solid 
grace,  and  not  rest  in  an  empty  profession,  and  this  secures 
us  from  formal  hypocrisy,  that  we  be  not  found  foolish  vir- 
gins. Matt.  25  :  3.  Second,  it  excites  us  to  the  diligent 
improvement  of  our  talents,  that  we  be  not  found  slothlul 
servants,  neglecting  any  duty  to  which  God  and  conscience 
call  us.  Matt.  25:21.  Third,  it  confirms  and  establishes 
us  in  the  ways  of  God,  that  we  wound  not  conscience  by 
apostasy.  1  John,  2  :  28.  Fourth,  it  is  a  loud  call  to  every 
man  to  repent,  and  not  to  lie  stupid  and  senseless,  under 
guilt.  Acts  17:30,  31.  Fifth,  it  is  a  powerful  antidote 
against  formality  in  religion,  the  general  and  dangerous  dis- 
ease of  professors.  Matt.  7  :  22,  23.  Sixth,  it  excites  holy 
fear  and  watchfulness  in  the  whole  course  of  life.  1  Peter, 
1  :  17.  Seventh,  it  puts  us  not  only  on  our  watch,  but  on 
our  knees  in  fervent  prayer.      1  Peter,  4:7. 

And  he  who  feels  such  effects  as  these  from  the  consider- 
ation of  that  day,  is  fortified  against  the  sin  my  text  warns 
us  of,  and  dares  not  hold  the  truth  of  God  in  unrighteous- 
ness. It  is  our  indifference  as  to  a  judgment  to  come,  and 
ignorance  of  the  nature  of  it,  which  embolden  us  to  neglect 
known  duties  and  commit  known  sins.    Amos  6:3:2  Pet. 


396  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT   THE   DOOR. 

3:3,4.  If  our  thoughts  and  meditations  were  engaged  more 
frequently  and  seriously  on  such  an  awful  subject,  we  should 
rather  choose  to  die  than  to  do  violence  to  our  consciences. 

Direction  4.  Get  true  aj^pr  el  tensions  of  the  moral  evil 
that  is  in  sin,  and  of  the  penal  evil  that  follows  ;  then 
no  temptation  shall  prevail  with  you  to  commit  sin  that  you 
may  escape  a  present  trouble,  or  neglect  a  known  duty  to 
accommodate  any  earthly  interest,  and  consequently  to  hold 
no  truth  of  God  in  unrighteousness.  It  is  fear  of  loss  and 
sufferings  that  so  often  overbears  conscience  ;  but  if  men 
were  thoroughly  sensible  that  the  least  sin  is  worse  than  the 
greatest  affliction  or  suffering,  the  peace  of  conscience  would 
be  well  secured.  That  this  is  really  so,  appears  thus  :  first, 
afflictions  do  not  make  a  man  vile  in  the  sight  of  God.  A 
man  may  be  under  manifold  afflictions,  and  yet  very  precious 
in  God's  account,  Heb.  11  :  36—38;  but  sin  makes  man  vile 
in  the  sight  of  God.  Dan.  9  :  14.  Second,  afflictions  do  not 
put  men  under  the  curse  of  God  ;  blessings  and  afflictions 
may  go  together,  Psa.  94  :  12,  but  sin  brings  the  soul  under 
the  curse.  Gal.  3:10.  Third,  afflictions  make  men  more 
like  God,  Heb.  12  :  10  ;  but  sin  makes  us  more  like  Satan. 

1  John,  3:8;  John  8  :  34.  Fourth,  afflictions  for  conscience' 
sake  are  but  the  creature's  wrath  inflamed  against  us ;  but 
sin  is  the  inflamer  of  God's  wrath  against  us,  as  in  the 
text.  Fifth,  afflictions  are  but  outward  evils  on  the  body  ; 
but  sin  is  an  internal  evil  on  the  soul.  Prov.  8  :  36. 
Sixth,  afflictions  for  duty's  sake  have  many  sweet  promises 
annexed  to  them.  Matt.  5:10;  but  sin  has  none.  Seventh, 
the  efiects  of  sufferings  for  Christ  are  sweet  to  the  soul, 

2  Cor.  7:4,  but  the  fruits  of  sin  are  bitter  ;  it  yields 
nothing  but  shame  and  fear.  Eighth,  afflictions  for  Christ 
are  the  way  to  heaven,  but  sin  is  the  broad  way  to  hell. 
Rom.  6  :  23.  Ninth,  sufferings  for  duty  are  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, 2  Cor.  4  :  17  ;  but  sufferings  for  sin  will  be  eternal. 
Mark  9  :  44. 


THE    SIN  OF   STIFLINa   CONVICTION.         397 

If  such  thoughts  might  be  suffered  to  dwell  with  us,  how 
would  they  guard  the  conscience  against  temptations,  and 
secure  our  peace  and  purity. 

Direction  5.  Be  thoroughly  persuaded  of  this  great 
truth,  that  God  takes  great  'pleasure  in  uprightness,  and 
will  own  and  honor  integrity  amidst  all  the  dangers  which 
befall  it.  Psa.  11:7;  Prov.  11  :  20.  When  he  would  en- 
courage Abraham  to  a  life  of  integrity,  he  engages  his 
almighty  power  for  his  protection  in  that  way  :  "I  am  the 
Almighty  God  ;  walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect." 
Gen.  17  :  1.  "  The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield  ;  the 
Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory  ;  no  good  thing  will  he 
withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly."  Psa.  84:  11. 
An  upright  man  is  the  boast  of  heaven,  Job  1:8,  because 
he  bears  the  image  of  God.  "  The  righteous  Lord  loveth 
righteousness."  Psa.  11:7.  And  if  integrity  brings  men 
into  trouble,  they  may  be  sure  the  Lord  will  bring  them  out. 
"  Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord 
delivereth  him  out  of  them  all."  Psa.  34  :  19.  How  safely 
then  may  they  leave  themselves  in  the  hands  of  his  infinite 
wisdom,  power,  and  fatherly  care.  Nay,  God  is  not  only 
the  protector,  but  also  the  reivarder  of  conscientious  mteg- 
rity,  Psa.  18  :  20  ;  and  that  in  four  ways.  First,  in  the  in- 
ward peace  it  yields  :  "The  work  of  righteousness  shall  be 
peace  ;  and  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness  and  assur- 
ance for  ever."  Isa.  32  :  17.  But  the  effect  of  sinful  and  car- 
nal policy  is  shame  and  sorrow.  Second,  in  the  success  and 
issue  of  it ;  it  not  only  turns  to  God's  glory,  but  it  answers 
and  accommodates  our  own  designs  and  ends  far  better  than 
our  sinful  projects  can  do.  Prov,  28  :  23.  Tliird,  great 
is  the  joy  resulting  from  it  in  the  day  of  death.  2  Kings, 
20  :  3  ;  Psalm  37  :  37.  Fourth,  in  the  world  to  come. 
Psalm  49  :  14.  "Were  this  duly  considered  and  believed, 
men  would  choose  rather  to  part  with  life  than  with  the 
purity  and  peace  of  their  consciences.     They  would  suffer 


398  CHRIST   KNOCKINa  AT  THE   DOOR. 

all  wrongs  and  injuries  rather  than  do  conscience  the  least 
injury. 

Direction  6.  Do  not  idolize  the  ivorld,  nor  overvalue 
the  trifles  of  this  life  :  it  is  the  love  of  the  world  which 
makes  men  violate  the  rules  of  their  own  conscience, 
2  Tim.  4:10;  it  is  this  that  makes  men  strain  hard  to  get 
loose  from  the  ties  of  conscience.  The  young  man  was  con- 
vinced, but  the  world  was  too  hard  for  his  convictions,  Luke 
18  :  23  ;  the  degree  of  his  sorrow  was  according  to  the 
degree  of  his  love  of  the  world.  It  is  not  having,  but  over- 
loving  the  world  that  ruins  us  ;  it  is  a  worldly  heart  which 
makes  men  turn  and  dissemble  at  the  rate  they  do,  in  time 
of  temptation.  Could  you  once  dethrone  this  idol,  how  safe 
would  your  conscience  be.  The  church  is  described  as 
clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  Rev. 
12:1;  the  most  zealous  age  of  the  church  was  the  age  of 
poverty.  Try  then  these  considerations  upon  your  hearts, 
to  loose  them  from  the  inordinate  love  of  the  world.  First, 
what  good  will  the  world  do  when  you  have  lost  your  integ- 
rity for  its  sake,  and  peace  is  taken  away  from  the  inner 
man  ?  What  joy  of  the  world  had  Judas,  and  what  com- 
fort had  Spira  ?  If  you  part  with  your  integrity  for  it,  God 
will  blast  it  and  it  shall  yield  you  no  joy.  Second,  except 
you  renounce  the  world,  you  are  renomiced  by  Christ :  dis- 
claim it,  or  he  will  disclaim  you.  Luke  14  :  33.  No  man 
can  be  admitted  into  Christ's  service,  but  by  sealing  this 
covenant  with  him.  Third,  whatever  loss  you  shall  sustain 
for  Christ  and  conscience,  he  stands  pledged  to  repair  it  to 
you,  and  that  with  an  infinite  overplus.  Mark  10  :  29,  30. 
Fourth,  in  a  word  all  the  riches,  pleasures,  and  honors  in 
the  world  are  not  able  to  give  you  such  joy  and  heart-re- 
freshing comfort  as  the  acquitting  and  cheering  voice  of  your 
own  consciences  can  do.  Settle  these  things  in  your  hearts 
as  defences  against  this  danger. 

DiK-ECTioN  7.  Beg  of  God,  and  labor  to  get  more  Chris- 


THE   SIN  OF   STIFLING  CONVICTION.  399 

tian  courage  and  magnajiimity ;  for  want  of  this,  con- 
science is  often  overborne  against  its  own  light  and  convic- 
tion :  Christian  magnanimity  is  the  security  of  conscience. 
It  is  excellent  and  becoming  a  Christian  to  be  able  to  face 
any  thing  but  the  frowns  of  God  and  his  own  conscience. 
All  the  famous  champions  of  truth  and  witnesses  for  God 
who  came  victorious  out  of  the  field  of  temptation,  with  safe 
and  unwounded  consciences,  were  men  of  courage  and  reso- 
lution. Dan.  3  :  16;  Heb.  11  :  27 ;  Acts  21  :  13.  And 
what  is  this  Christian  courage  but  the  fixed  resolution  of  the 
soul  to  encounter  all  dangers,  all  sufferings,  all  reproaches, 
pains,  and  losses,  in  the  strength  of  assisting  grace,  which 
shall  assault  us  in  the  way  of  our  duty  ?  and  so  it  stands 
opposed  in  Scripture  to  the  spirit  of  fear,  Heb.  1 1  :  27  ;  to 
shame,  Mark  8  :  38  ;  to  apostasy,  Heb.  10  :  39.  He  must 
neither  be  afraid  nor  ashamed,  nor  lose  one  inch  of  ground 
for  the  sake  of  whatsoever  dangers  he  meets  with,  and  that 
because  he  has  embraced  Christianity  upon  those  terms,  and 
was  told  of  all  this  before,  John  16:1;  because  there  is  no 
retreating,  but  to  our  own  ruin,  Heb.  10  :  38  ;  because  he 
owes  all  this,  and  much  more  than  this,  to  Christ,  Phil. 
1  :  29  ;  because  he  understands  the  value  of  his  soul  above 
his  body,  and  of  eternal  things  beyond  all  temporal  concerns. 
Matt.  10  :  28  ;  and,  in  a  word,  because  he  believes  the 
promises  of  God's  assistance  and  reward,  Heb.  11  :  25-27. 

0  my  friends,  were  our  fears  thus  subdued,  and  our 
faith  thus  exalted,  how  free  and  safe  would  truth  be  in  our 
consciences  I  He  who  owns  any  truth  for  the  sake  of  a  living, 
or  to  promote  worldly  interest  by  it,  will  disown  that  truth 
when  it  comes  to  live  upon  him,  let  conscience  plead  what 
it  will ;  but  he  that  has  agreed  with  Christ  upon  these  terms, 
and  is  content  to  be  miserable  for  ever  if  there  be  not  enough 
in  Christ  to  make  him  happy,  this  man  will  be  a  steady 
Christian,  and  will  rather  lie  in  the  worst  prison,  than  im- 
prison God's  known  truths  in  unrighteousness. 


400  CHRIST  KNOCKING  AT  THE   DOOR. 

CONCLUSION. 

I  HAVE  now  delivered  my  message.  I  have  set  before 
you  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  glory  of  his  free-grace  and  conde- 
scending love  to  sinners.  0  that  I  had  had  skill  and  ability 
to  do  it  better  I  I  have  wooed  and  expostulated  with  you 
on  Christ's  behalf;  I  have  labored  according  to  my  little 
measure  of  strength,  to  cast  up  and  prepare  the  way  by 
removing  the  stumbling-blocks  and  discouragements  out  of 
it.  This  has  been  a  time  of  conviction  to  many  of  you, 
some  have  no  longer  held  their  convictions  under  restraint, 
but  many,  I  fear,  do  so  ;  and  therefore  I  have  in  the  close 
of  all  handled  this  awakening  scripture,  to  show  you  what 
a  horrid  evil  it  is  to  detain  God's  truths  in  unrighteousness. 
I  have  also,  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  God,  de- 
manded all  the  Lord's  prisoners,  his  suppressed  and  restrained 
truths,  at  your  hands  :  if  you  will  unbind  your  convictions 
this  day,  and  cut  asunder  the  bonds  of  carnal  fear  and 
shame  with  which  you  restrain  them,  those  truths  you 
make  free  will  make  you  free  indeed ;  if  not,  but  you  will 
still  go  on  stifling  and  suppressing  them  in  your  own  bosoms, 
remember  they  are  so  many  witnesses  prepared  to  give  evi- 
dence against  you  in  the  great  day.  And  0  that  while  you 
delay  this  duty,  the  sound  of  this  text  may  never  be  out  of 
your  ears,  nor  suffer  you  to  rest :  "  The  wrath  of  God  is  re- 
vealed from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteous- 
ness of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness." 


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